Dark Truth
by Clarobell
Summary: After a horrific encounter at sea, Luffy's whole personality is changed. The straw hats struggle to help their captain recover, but how can they help him, if they don't even know what happened? After all, they slept while their captain was tortured. Chapter 7 up.
1. Broken

**Revamped for the third and hopefully final time, here is Dark truth for all of my ever patient readers. The stories' setting has been changed somewhat – before the War and Ace's death. **

**I've always felt that this story had great potential when it came to me in a dream and this time I'm really going over the plot slowly, chipping away at my memory to recapture that feeling I had when I first created this plot. The only problem that has held me back from finishing it for this long is the original ending was very cliché and corny. I still don't have an ending line up, but hopefully this rewrite will spark some ideas in me.**

**To all my readers, please don't hesitate to get on my case about updating. It inspires me – so long as you handle yourself in a polite and proper way when you remind me I should be updating, I really appreciate it.**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 1: Broken**

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It was far from silent upon the Sunny-Go that night. Soft waves slapped sloppily against the ship's hull followed by the faint hiss of sea foam evaporating at the contact. The wood's creak lilted out its own lullaby as it rocked atop the ocean in a gentle sway. It was peaceful, but far from silent. Luffy enjoyed nights like this the most. The moon illuminated a devilish grin upon his round face. He crept barefoot across the galley floor, shoes forsaken beside his bed in favour of preserving his stealth. Yes, on nights like these the ship masked any sound that might mistakenly escape him as he ventured further into the hallowed ground that was the galley. Sanji's traps routine traps lay discarded, defeated behind him and as Luffy stood before the Sunny's fridge in all its glory his fingers twitched in anticipation. His stomach gave a quiet growl. Its rumbling persuasion urged him on and he closed the gap as his hand took a firm grip around the handle.

A soft squeak of the floorboards froze Luffy in place. His grin sobered to frown mixed with disappointment and the dangerous, quiet anger only his enemies saw.

"Who's there?" he called. He didn't raise his voice, though his body half turned to face the darkness that shrouded the galley. Another time he may have been curious, playful with the stranger on his ship, but in the dead of night with his crew at rest Luffy's instinct cried protect. He received no answer, and for a moment wondered if maybe he'd imagined it. Robin was on watch after all, and she had eyes everywhere. He waited a moment more before the tension in his body visibly drained and he relaxed once more, lips curling in an anticipating smile.

A hand suddenly found itself on the back of Luffy's neck and before he had a chance to register what it was doing there, Luffy's face made contact with the fridge followed shortly by his body as he was pinned in place. He grunted and flexed his muscles in an attempt to feel out his attackers strength, but his hands were restricted behind his back in a vice-like grip.

The metallic scrape of a blade against the fridge drew Luffy from his analysis and he gazed cross-eyed at the sword that drifted inches before his neck before closing in on his rubber skin, the blade resting there. Luffy relaxed his body. They could slam his head off the fridge a thousand times if they wanted, but if he didn't play his cards right, his Grand line adventure might just end tonight.

His captor leaned his head down (Luffy could tell from the angle he was held at, that the other was taller) and his lips brushed Luffy's ear as he spoke, "Comfortable?"

Luffy's eyes widened, his rubber neck twisting at an angle that would have been painful for anyone else. That voice had been...!

As he laid eyes on his attacker he opened his mouth to speak, but a rough hand clamped over the bottom half of his face effectively silencing him. Calloused fingers squeezed the rubbery head aggressively.

"Now we'll see what kind of man you really are, _Captain_."

Zoro sighed, his gaze fixed on the dark waters the Sunny-Go sailed through. It was too quiet, with an air of tension that lingered throughout the ship. It clung to the deck and sails and walls like a thick, silent smog that was slowly choking them. The usual laughter and chaos aboard the Thousand Sunny was absent; it wasn't right. Zoro's expression softened as his eyes drifted to the side and rested on the slouched form of his Captain. He couldn't keep the concern from his eyes but Luffy either didn't notice or didn't care. Zoro assumed the latter.

A constant tremor shook Luffy's frame. Zoro had grown accustomed to it over the past weeks and din't really notice it any more. As Luffy stood against the rail though with his hands sat upon the sturdy wood, he couldn't help but stare at the shake in his Captain's loosely balled fists. It felt wrong. Those hand had carried them this far and pummelled through rock and steel and bone without hesitation or doubt. The boy behind them now was a shell of the man he had been mere weeks before. Their light that eradicated all of their shadows and nightmares now found himself lost within his own.

Zoro had no idea just what happened that night, but Luffy hadn't been the same since they'd passed over those waters. They had faced many dangers since their journey started and a lot had been traumatising. Their battles and injuries had at time brought them to their knees, but Luffy's strength always pulled them to their feet once more and here before him Zoro's Captain seemed unable to carry his own weight and looked ready to crumble before his eyes. Zoro had never seen Luffy affected by anything this way. The rubber boy had always seemed so unbreakable and invincible. It was hard to see him like this.

Luffy's eyes drifted from the shadows his hat cast over them for a moment and Zoro realised he had been staring too long. He didn't turn his gaze away when their eyes met. He had been with Luffy the longest – he could read his fiery Captain better than himself, but Zoro had barely caught a glimpse of the pain and fear in those wide eyes before they retreated once more. It felt like a physical blow, the air escaped from his gut as Luffy shied away from him. One look between the two until now could hold an entire conversation, questions could be asked and answered without a single word and now Luffy had cut him off.

Zoro couldn't help but wonder if he'd imagined in the brief moment their eyes had met, the shame he saw shining there. Luffy was hurting inside and it was worse than any physical pain to now there was nothing he could do to put a stop to it. He wanted to grab the younger boy and shake him and pull him to his chest and hold him like a child and shout at him that he shouldn't feel ashamed for anything. They all had their moments of weakness. Luffy was entitled to his and they would guard him like he had them for as long as it took to recover from whatever he'd been through. He returned his gaze to the ocean.

A barely audible sigh escaped Zoro's lips and he swallowed thickly as he caught Luffy's flinch from the corner of his eye. It made him feel sick with a worry his blood boil with a fury and desire to kill the one who had caused this if only he knew who it was. It was two emotion he often controlled without problem, but seeing Luffy like this made them rumble dangerously below the surface of his skin. He was careful not to let it show. Zoro turned his eyes skyward toward the thick grey cloud that smothered the normally beautifully blue sky. It seemed as though the world mirrored Luffy's mood.

Luffy shifted his weight from one foot to the other awkwardly. The action snapped Zoro's attention back to his quiet Captain. He noticed the younger boys breathing had become slightly more laboured, a thin sheen of sweat coating the skin that wasn't hidden behind thick bandages. The pain medication had probably worn off. A swift scrutiny of the bandages themselves told him it was about time to change them.

"Oi, Luffy," he called softly and swallowed back the bile that threatened to rise as even that gentle call caused the boy the startle. Luffy's dark eyes lifted and struggled to acknowledge Zoro by meeting his eyes. Instead Luffy looked through him and focussed on his chest. Zoro continued regardless."Don't you think it's time you got Chopper to change those bandages?" he asked.

Luffy visibly reacted to the question as though startled from deep thought and looked down at his body dumbly for a few seconds. He stared at the bandages as though he'd noticed them for the first time. Zoro knew better; every day Luffy looked at the bandages as if he'd never seen them before, almost as if he couldn't quite accept what he'd become as much as the crew couldn't. A moment more passed in silence as Zoro gave Luffy a few more moments before a mute nod was his only response. Luffy moved without further prompting and Zoro didn't miss the gap between them as the injured boy walked around him and towards the cabin without a word.

Zoro waited until he was sure Luffy was out of earshot before he released a quiet curse. With things as they were now it didn't look like their journey would be continuing much further. Luffy seemed to be in a permanent state of shock, constantly dazed and never quite _there_. He hadn't spoken a word since he'd woken after that night, not a single syllable. From Chopper's examinations it had already been determined that other than swelling and inflammation, there was no permanent or dire damage to Luffy's throat which could only mean Luffy's silence was voluntary.

With a grunt, Zoro pushed himself from the railings and started his search for Nami to find out when they would be docking. They had been a ways off shore from the island they'd last set sail from for a few weeks to give Luffy time to recover before making their next move. Now they were running low on supplies and had to make a decision. Normally Luffy would decide, but Luffy hadn't been doing a lot of things he usually did, lately.

As he walked across the deck Zoro almost felt the need to step lighter, as his footfalls sounded too heavy and loud on the unusually quiet ship. He stopped as he spotted Usopp seated by the railing at the other end of the ship and contemplated going to see if the younger pirate was okay; it was his responsibility after all as first mate when his captain was unable to do such things. He watched for a few more seconds before he decided against it. The marksman seemed in deep thought. He would take the time to talk to him later, but right now he had to find Nami.

As he climbed the stairs heading towards the galley, he noted the lack of people now on deck and called, "Oi, Usopp."

Usopp's head snapped up, startled and he looked around. "Huh? W-What? What's wrong?" he asked as he spotted Zoro.

"I'm going in." Zoro answered, a silent request for the marksman to join him. It had been decided with no knowledge on whom or what had harmed Luffy that night, that the crew would refrain from wandering the ship alone. Usopp suddenly noticed his solitary state and quickly scurried up the stairs to join Zoro.

The two entered the galley together and it was only as he inhaled the first warm scents of the night's meal that Zoro realised how chilly it had been outside. A small optimistic whisper inside his heart wondered if perhaps Luffy's trembling wasn't from the cold, but his head knew otherwise. He spotted Nami sitting at the table and moved to sit opposite her. Nami didn't acknowledge his entrance as she sat with her head in her hands and her thumbs massaged circles into her temples.

"It'll take us a couple hours if the winds are good and we take the ship." she whispered wearily, already fully aware of what Zoro wanted to know. "A smaller group could go in the Mini Merry..." she hesitated then, "But, if they came back..."

Zoro nodded, though the navigator couldn't see him as her head was in her hands. He understood her concerns. If somebody could take Luffy out without alerting any of them then they had to be ridiculously strong or smart. Separating the crew may increase the risk to Luffy in such a vulnerable state, but taking him on land was just as risky. The decision ultimately fell on his shoulders.

"You want something to eat?" Sanji asked suddenly, quietly. His movements were slow and lazy, none of his usual enthusiasm and passion in the kitchen present.

"I'm fine."

"You've barely eaten in 3 days, idiot." the cook retorted weakly, an undertone of anger lacing his tone. "You'll be too weak to fight them if they come back. Have a fucking sandwich."

Sanji's tone was lacked conviction despite his words. He wasn't about to make Zoro eat if he didn't want to, but Zoro knew he was right. An affirmative grunt was his answer and the cook quickly set to work and placed the small meal before the swordsman. Zoro slowly bit into the fluffy bread and filling, tearing away a small chunk before he sluggishly chewed. Sanji cleaned up what he'd used and moved to sit at the table with Zoro and Nami. Usopp joined them shortly after and the quartet sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Zoro pushed the second half of his sandwich towards Usopp wordlessly. Usopp took it with a mumbled thanks and ate in the same fashion as the swordsman had.

Sanji frowned slightly at the fact that Zoro hadn't finished even that small sandwich. At the rate he was going he was going to make himself sick. That was the last thing they needed as they had Luffy to worry about as it was.

"Did you get him to eat anything today?" Zoro asked quietly.

"Not much, but at least it was something." Sanji replied as he struck a match and held it in front of the cigarette pinched between his lips.

"Do you think he'll keep it down this time?"

"I really don't know."

A soft sigh escaped Usopp's lips as he looked across at his crewmates.

"Is… he gonna be okay?"

None of his crewmates could offer him an honest answer, and none had the chance as the silence was shattered by cries for help from their doctor. The crew moved on instinct, the urge to protect their fragile captain pumping adrenaline through their veins. By the time they got there, Franky and Brooke had already arrived ahead of them. They restrained Luffy as best they could to control his violent thrashing. Chopper frantically rummaged through his medicine supplies in search of a sedative as Sanji and Zoro moved to help restrain Luffy so he wouldn't hurt himself. Even in this state their Captain was still physically strong.

"Is it another fit?" Sanji shouted across the room to Chopper.

"I don't think so...!" Chopper replied distractedly and cursed under his breath as his search came up empty.

Luffy's care over the past few weeks had been so frantic and intense that the infirmary looked more like a dump. Empty bottles and stained bandages lay strewn across the floor and Chopper had lost track of his important inventory of medical supplies. With no trips to shore he'd had no chance to restock either.

"He's delirious – it must be another flashback!" he called back to Sanji, tears pooling in his eyes at the sight of Luffy. "I've got no sedatives..."

"Shit!" Zoro shouted as he shifted his hold on Luffy, mindful of his injuries, so that neither of them would get hurt. "Isn't it bad enough he had to go through it once? Why the hell should he have to live through it again?"

"He's going to hurt himself if he doesn't stop soon!" Sanji grunted as he tightened his hold on the boy's arms. Franky and Brooke each held one of their Captain's legs securely as the crew worked together to prevent him from hurting himself as he relived the nightmare of that night.

Suddenly the thrashing stopped and Luffy's body tensed before he sagged like a ragdoll in their grip. The suddenness of it almost caused them to lose their grip, but after a moment when he remained still, wide eyes wide open but at the same time unseeing, they slowly lowered him to the floor. Robin, who had been helping to change Luffy's bandages when the flashbacks began, stayed beside Chopper, but offered assistance with her devil fruit as several disembodied feet walked a thin mattress over to the group to lay her injured ailing captain upon. Nami stood on Robin's other side. Soaked her face and sobs hitched in her throat as she watched the scene unfold, hand held over her mouth in horror.

As the crew released their hold on him, for a moment it seemed as though all the life had fled from Luffy. Franky swallowed thickly and resisted the urge to shake the boy. Instead he rested his oversized hand upon Luffy's chest. For a few tense moments it didn't rise or fall and then with a strangled gasp Luffy drew in a gulp of air and jerked away from the cyborg's touch. He rolled onto his side and curled in on himself, eyes half lidded and obviously exhausted. A collective sigh of relief sounded from the crew as the ordeal came to an end, but before they had a chance to relax, Luffy's body suddenly jerked again as he heaved, and then again. Zoro and Usopp's body's moved before their minds could stop them. Aside from Nami they had known Luffy the longest and so had been tending to his wounds and whatever assistance he might've needed after his attack. Gently but swiftly the eased him into a kneeling position and supported his weight by the shoulders and middle as Luffy's arms trembled under even his own weight unaided. With a final heave he emptied his stomach onto the wooden floor.

Zoro ignored the sick that splattered onto the fabric of his pants and kept a firm hold on his shoulders as Usopp steadied Luffy from behind. The rubber boy panted weakly and lifted his arm and grabbed onto Zoro's muscled one. Wearily Luffy slumped forward with a tired groan onto his first mates shoulder as his eyes fell closed but less than a second later he pulled back with a strangled gasp. Zoro tried not to flinch at the action; he knew Luffy didn't mean to do it but the fact was that whatever had happened that night had deep-rooted a fear in Luffy that penetrated even the close bonds and trust between his nakama. Physical comfort only caused him distress and he couldn't look any of them in the eye. Usopp tried to offer his own comfort with a gentle rub of Luffy's back, but his rubbery best friend shied away from the touch like an anxious cat, bending his back away from the touch. Usopp tried not to let the hurt show in his eyes as did the rest of the crew but Luffy turned away guiltily, still panting softly, head bowed miserably.

"It's okay, Luffy," Usopp muttered a little hesitantly. "Don't worry, you're safe."

"We';; protect you, Luffy-san." Brooke promised, solemnly.

Luffy offered a miniscule nod, though didn't seem convinced and didn't raise his head. Franky moved to clean the small puddle of vomit as Luffy gingerly eased himself down onto the thin mattress Robin had provided. Sanji walked over to his own hammock and grabbed the blanket lying. He flicked it out and let the thin material float down over Luffy's body. He still seemed tense with so many huddled around him, and so slowly the crew eased back, though remained in the room on watch like silent sentries. After a few moments of deliberation, Brooke fetched his violin and offered a gentle, quiet melody for the room's occupants. The tune was neither sad nor happy, but peaceful. Luffy's breathing slowly evened out as he accepted the comfort the music offered and he slowly drifted into an easy sleep.

The crew quietly designated their own sleeping quarters in the infirmary. If Luffy wasn't sleeping in the cabin tonight, then they wouldn't either. They would stay by his side and protect him as they'd promised. Robin bloomed a pair of eyes in the watch tower to keep an eye on the dark, calm waters as the rest of the crew settled down for the night.

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**Well, there you have it, a fully revamped Dark Truth. I actually enjoyed rewriting this chapter. There have been a few changes but nothing major as of yet. Please let me know if you enjoyed.**


	2. The Nightmares

**Okay, the new and improved chapter 2! Admittedly there is a hell of a lot of change and new content here. Please let me know what you think! For those of you wondering why you're getting an alert for chapter 2, I'm in the process of rewriting and hopefully completing Dark Truth – you might want to go back and read chapter 1 again before you continue.**

**Thanks to EALM528 for pointing out some typos. I've fixed them now :D**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 2: The Nightmares**

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The night didn't bring rest to the Strawhats. Though each crew member nodded off at some point, the soft creaks and groans of their Thousand Sunny that once soothed them to sleep now startled them awake, fearful that their captain's attacker had returned. Since he was attacked, Luffy had yet to have a peaceful sleep, constantly plagued by nightmares that replayed whatever terrors he had faced that night. The knowledge that Luffy would be thrashing and screaming out his terror at some point that night kept the majority of the crew from rest themselves.

For the moment Luffy seemed at peace. He'd stirred once or twice but Brook had kept vigil at his bedside, and each time he showed signs of waking from his slumber, the skeleton had lilted out a soft sweet melody to lull him back to his dreams. It eased all of their hearts to see Luffy resting soundly, even if it was for just a while.

"Did he talk at all today?" Sanji asked, softly. They were all laid down, scattered around Luffy like a human shield. Sanji had no idea who, if any of his crewmates were awake and so he kept his voice at a mumble, unwilling to disturb any that were lucky enough to catch some shuteye.

"Not a word," Zoro replied solemnly. His words were clipped and hushed, laced with a quiet anger. It wasn't directed at anybody but himself. "What has it been now? Two? Three weeks?"

"Sixteen days," Nami corrected absently. She lay opposite Luffy. Her sleepy brown eyes traced over her slumbering Captain's battered body. "It's just so quiet."

"At least he's not dead," Franky muttered.

"Don't say that!" Usopp snapped suddenly, his voice raised in pitch as tears threatened to fall at the mere thought of losing Luffy.

"Shh!" Chopper hissed back at the marksman, one hoof raised in front of his snout in a gesture for Usopp to keep his voice down. Usopp startled as he realised his mistake and turned to look at Luffy and inspect the damage. Thankfully Robin had anticipated that one of them would have an outburst at such a statement and two disembodied hands gently covered Luffy's ears without disturbing him.

"It's true," Sanji muttered calmly as he sat up and plucked a cigarette from his top pocket. He placed the butt between his teeth and chewed it lightly but didn't light the tip just yet. The smell might wake Luffy. The thought of losing his captain terrified him just as much as it did Usopp, but panic and anger were the last things Luffy needed. "We _almost _lost him."

"But we didn't," Usopp said back. "He just needs some time to get over it."

"Most people can't just recover from something like that," Franky muttered gravely. He'd seen all too many people broken down and abused in his lifetime, even before Water 7 on the ship he was raised on.

"Luffy-san isn't like 'most people'..." Brook interjected.

"Exactly!" Usopp agreed quietly, but enthusiastically.

"Luffy's in a league all of his own..." Nami whispered. Her eyes never left Luffy's face, staring at him intently as if willing him to believe her words. "He can come back from this."

The infirmary fell quiet once more. Luffy had been through a hell of a lot since their journey begun. He'd beaten the odds time and time again and always came out smiling. Nobody spoke it out loud, but they all felt the same thing. Something was very different this time. Luffy had proven on countless occasions that he could take a beating and come back fighting, this time however it seemed as though something had extinguished the fire in his heart that pushed him forward. A physical beating alone wasn't enough to crush his confidence as it had. Something had happened in the galley that night that had shattered Luffy's confidence. The physical wounds would heal, but only time would tell if the mental scars would fade.

"His wounds are healing up pretty good." Franky spoke up, suddenly. It sounded too loud in the silent room.

"Luffy always heals fast." Chopper replied proudly.

"He has the best doctor!" Usopp said as he reached across and ruffled the top of Chopper's hat affectionately.

"Bastard~!" Chopper lilted as he squirmed a little in place. "That doesn't make me happy at all!"

"Most of the bruises have faded now..." Nami commented.

"That," Zoro said as he gestured to the top of a stitched wound that peeked from Luffy's shirt, "Is going to scar."

"I think so," Chopper replied.

"I know so." Zoro added, smirking. "He's gonna think it's cool."

That comment brought a smile to weary faces of the crew. The thought of Luffy regarding a life threatening wounds scar as cool would normally exasperate them, but they all looked forward to seeing anything resembling normal from the boy any time soon.

"The rest of the puncture wounds should heal without scars though." Chopper added as his mind sifted through Luffy's countless injuries.

"As always." Sanji stated. "Lucky bastard."

"How has his heart been?" Robin asked carefully. That had been the most worrying thing amongst all of Luffy's injuries. Heart damage was something that didn't always recover on its own.

"Good," Chopper replied with a smile. The crew visibly sagged with relief. "Luffy has a strong heart."

"He does." Robin agreed with a fond smile.

"He lost his lunch again." Sanji remarked absently, as he stared at the stained spot where Luffy threw up earlier. The concern was evident in Sanji's eyes as he rolled the cigarette between his lips. Luffy had barely eaten anything since that night and what he did eat usually wasn't kept down for long. He was already dehydrated, exhausted and injured. Sanji didn't know how much more his weakened body could take. He didn't voice his thoughts however. The last time he'd shown any sign of losing faith in Luffy, Zoro and slugged him across the face and sworn he'd throw his sorry ass off the ship if he said anything more on the matter. They had to believe in Luffy, he'd said. He tried his best, but nothing he prepared seemed destined to stay put in Luffy's stomach. The cook vowed to himself that he would find better supplies when they docked – he'd puree or mash or liquefy anything it took to give Luffy a little bit of strength back.

"At least he's sleeping..." Nami answered quietly.

Sanji studied Nami's face for a moment. None of them had got much sleep over the past few weeks, but Nami looked even wearier than the rest of them. Tentatively, he called, "Nami-san?" and when she hummed a response, asked, "You look tired. Don't you think you should try to sleep?"

"I'm okay Sanji-kun…" she answered slowly. "I just… the nightmares of Luffy and…"

Nami trailed off and Sanji didn't even need to hear the end of her sentence to know what she was talking about. Nami had been the one to find Luffy after all.

_Nami yawned and stretched with a soft mewl as she climbed out of bed. It was earlier than she usually got up and glancing at the clock beside her bed, she noticed that Sanji wouldn't even be up at this hour. With a smile she exited the cabin intent on pouring herself some coffee for a nice and quiet morning before the boys woke up._

_Nami hurriedly jogged across the deck towards the galley. She was barefoot and the chilly morning air froze her toes. As she scooted past the watch tower, Robin made her way down to enjoy her own early morning coffee. She had been on watch last night and smiled at Nami as their eyes met._

"_Quiet night?" Nami asked the older woman._

_Robin nodded back with a smile. "Mm, aside from Luffy-san hunting for a midnight snack." She answered with a small chuckle._

_"Ehh?" Nami noised, "Again!"_

"_Mhm," Robin answered. "He's yet to come out, so I expect he's either been caught in one of Sanji-san's traps or has been successful. Fufu..."_

"_That little...!" Nami threatened as she stomped towards the galley. "When I get my hands on him, he's so...!" she flung the galley door open intent on chewing out her thieving captain, but as she saw the carnage laid out before her, all that escaped was a shrill scream._

Robin ran to her side, eyes wide as she too took in the bloody mess in the middle of the galley. Nami's hands shook as she stepped back, revolted by the sight. Her heart clenched painfully and she prayed to whatever gods there were that this was all a horrible nightmare, but no matter how hard she pinched her skin she didn't wake up. The blood spattered, crushed straw hat beside his head left no doubt to whom the ravaged body belonged to.

"_**LUFFY!**"_

Sanji clenched his teeth around the unlit cigarette and almost bit it in half. He couldn't imagine how she must have felt seeing that. There was nothing he or any of them could do; what had happened was in the past and couldn't be changed. Luffy would have to come out of this or call it quits and the blonde was hoping with every fibre of his being it wouldn't be the latter. Luffy may not have been the best captain, often childish and more than once he'd sent them off on a hazardous 'adventure' on some stupid whim, but he was the only captain Sanji would ever follow. He was a straw hat pirate until death.

"Shit," he muttered as he rested his head in his hands.

Nobody had time to question Sanji's small outburst as Luffy suddenly gave a groan and shifted on the thin mattress. The crew became alert in a heartbeat, each sat up slowly, attentive of the stirring boy. Nami scooted back away from Luffy at Zoro's urging. Despite his weakness Luffy could still deal significant damage when panicked in the throes of a nightmare. The shift came just on time as Luffy suddenly sucked in a deep breath and let out a piercing shriek. The crew swarmed in as his body suddenly bucked and thrashed, striking out at invisible enemies. Before they could reach him he'd rolled to his feet with a stagger.

"Be careful," Zoro warned as he circled Luffy warily. This wasn't the first time this had happened. Luffy often fought the demons that plagued his nightmares when his body was weakened. The only problem was that he fought them outside of his dreams too.

As expected, Luffy charged at his invisible foe straight into the path of Usopp. Zoro skidded between the two and took Luffy's tackle to his own body. Usopp dived aside just before they crashed into the wall and Zoro grunted as he wrapped his arm around Luffy's middle and held him secure so he couldn't move. Robin took the chance to bloom a dozen arms across Luffy's own that held them stationary so he couldn't attack Zoro whilst the swordsman immobilized his movement. For a second it looked as though the situation was under control, but as Zoro opened his mouth to try and wake Luffy from his nightmare the younger boy thrust his head forward and cracked his skull against Zoro's. Dazed, Zoro released his hold on Luffy and the rubber boy staggered backwards.

Chopper rushed to Zoro's side as he crouched down with a curse and clutched his head. Zoro couldn't believe he'd fallen for Luffy's trump card. He stood again slowly and waved off Chopper's fussing with grunt. "I'm fine."

Luffy staggered back and forth in the middle of the room, striking out at nobody they could see, eyes half lidded and glazed. When he got too close to anybody in particular they skilfully dodged the sloppy attack and moved away from him. It was painful to watch, and Usopp, in a rare act of bravery charged forward and tackled Luffy to the ground from behind. It was risky. Usopp didn't want to hurt Luffy any more than he already was, but as his head collided with the floor and the shock of the fall startled Luffy awake. As he realised Luffy was slowly coming to his senses, Usopp quickly retreated from his captain's fallen form.

Luffy's vision slowly cleared and he blinked once, then twice as he realised he was in the infirmary. He winced as pain shot through his chest. The tackle had busted a couple of his stitches.

"O-Ow..." he mumbled.

The crews eyes widened at the small uttering that swelled hope in their chests. Though it was a mere grunt of a noise, it was something _spoken _– that single word was a tiny step in the right direction. A collective glance to one another shared a silent message between the crew. Luffy looked as though he hadn't realised he'd let the little word escape his silence and so they wouldn't bring it to his attention.

Luffy lay on the cold wooden floor of the infirmary and looked utterly exhausted. His weary eyes flickered between the crew members in his vision before they slid closed again and he sighed softly. Chopper flitted around him like a skittish butterfly, eager to have a look at what damage had been done but unwilling to touch Luffy without warning. Zoro was the first to act and moved forward and if to pick Luffy up. He assumed the boy had fallen back to sleep but as soon as his fingers touched Luffy's clammy skin, the boy twisted and bolted upright, eyes wide and unfocused. He groaned weakly as his chest throbbed with fresh pain and his eyes slid closed again as he willed away the sudden dizziness that threatened to take his consciousness from him.

"Luffy…" Zoro whispered, not sure whether he should try to help the boy or not for fear of hurting him more "C'mon buddy, you can't let this rule you… Let me help you."

Zoro moved forward once again, but Luffy only inched back until his back bumped against the closest wall. Zoro moved back again and tried not to look too dejected. For a few seconds the two stared at one another, Zoro's gaze fixed and intense with an understanding shining there. Luffy's gaze flickered between the walls and Zoro, unwilling to meet his eyes for more than a second. Shakily he got to his feet and stepped forward slowly on trembling legs. He seemed to be heading for the infirmary cot but stopped suddenly, frozen in place. Zoro stepped forward, careful to keep enough distance so as not to make his captain uncomfortable.

"You okay, Luffy?" he asked softly.

Luffy's shoulders began to quiver and Zoro clenched his jaw and averted his eyes. He felt torn as tears splashed from Luffy's chin to the floor and soaked his face. The rest of the crew also felt the dilemma. Luffy's tears were not a common sight – he'd cried for the loss of comrades and was unashamed at those times to let the world bear witness to his grief. This was different. These were tears of shame and humiliation that his entire crew saw now. Zoro turned his face away, not willing to witness it. He knew these were tears of frustration as well as Luffy battled with his own weakness and fear. Zoro knew Luffy saw the hurt and confusion in all of their faces every time he flinched away from them or shied from their touch. Zoro clenched his fist as a strangled sob tore from Luffy's throat.

"Zoro..." Nami whispered with a gentle urgency in her voice.

Zoro barely registered the call, too lost in his own thoughts.

"Zoro-san...!" Brook called, louder this time, more insistent.

Zoro looked back, a pang of fear in his heart at Brook's tone of voice, though his eyes widened as he found Luffy stood before him, barely an inch away. For the first time in weeks, Luffy didn't turn away as Zoro looked into his eyes. The swordsman could see his trembling, though whether from fear or sorrow he didn't know. Luffy's breath came in short, nervous pants as he forced himself to remain so close to his first mate. He couldn't stand to see his crew hurting and in that one moment that felt a lifetime, he tried to explain it without words.

_I'm trying..._

Zoro felt sick to his stomach. As he partook in the silent exchange they'd done a thousand times before he could see the pain and suffering and anguish, but worst of all was what he _couldn't _see. The unwavering trust that Luffy placed in all of them blindly since the day he met them was extinguished in his captain's eyes. A foreign feeling of panic bubbled to life in Zoro's heart. Before now the fact that he didn't know every detail of that night hadn't bothered him. He focussed on the knowledge that they would hunt down the culprit and make them pay. Now though, his mind whirled with questions of just _what _could have taken place to shatter the unbreakable bonds of trust Luffy built with his nakama.

Luffy's own heart filled with dread and panic as he saw Zoro's reaction. He could see Zoro's mind working and the question in his eyes, but that wasn't what Luffy had wanted! He'd wanted to put their minds at ease, to reassure them in some way that he could get over this. It was hard right now, but he wasn't going to just give up on them – on their dreams and his own. In a desperate move, Luffy suddenly launched himself at Zoro and wrapping his arms around his swordsman's neck as he stood on his tiptoes and buried his face in Zoro's shoulder.

Shock stalled Zoro's reaction for a half a second before he returned the embrace, gentler, mindful of Luffy's injuries. As soon as he felt Zoro's arms close around him Luffy's trembling increased. Zoro moved as if to withdraw but Luffy held fast and tightened his own grip, using Zoro as an anchor in the storm of emotions he found himself lost in. Zoro's eyes softened and a smile touched his lips as he let relaxed his arms into the embrace once more. Luffy was terrified by the contact he could see, but he was facing it and even though it was the tiniest glimmer in a pool of black, just a glimpse of their Luffy released a quiet explosion of hope amongst the crew.

After a few moments in the embrace Luffy could take no more and he pulled away jerkily. After taking a few moments to compose himself he glanced back at Zoro, relieved to see his swordsman's confident smirk back in place. A worried frown didn't suit him. The atmosphere in the room didn't feel so heavy any more either and Luffy released a quiet, relieved sigh. His body ached something fierce, so he dragged his heavy feet over to the infirmary bed to rest. Chopper would have to tend to the busted stitches anyway – there mere thought sent a shudder through his body. He lay down slowly, resigned to the treatment.

Sanji followed Chopper as the doctor readied his utensils. The crew around them slowly eased into quiet chatter and planned how they would restock their supplies. Sanji and Usopp left the infirmary together for a moment though returned a few minutes later. Usopp joined in the quiet chatter as Sanji made his way over to Luffy.

"You think you can eat just a little for me?" Sanji asked. He kept his distance from the bed as he didn't want to make Luffy uncomfortable. The display of courage on Luffy's part before was encouraging, but Sanji wasn't so stupid to think that things would go right back to normal. For now they had to build Luffy's physical strength back up so that he could be more confident in himself again.

Luffy eyed the food indecisively. Sometimes it didn't seem worth eating at all. He hated throwing up and whenever he ate it seemed that's all he ever did. He stole a quick glance at Sanji and gave a curt nod. Luffy knew despite the chef's complaints that Sanji loved the enthusiasm he had for food. Sanji wasn't used to Luffy rejecting anything at all, let alone his specially prepared meals. Luffy knew rejection wasn't an option. It was just another fight he would keep battling until he won and kept his food down.

Sanji wisely waited for Chopper to patch Luffy up before he attempted to get any food into his captain. Luffy was in a lot of pain and Sanji knew from experience pain alone could cause you to lose your lunch. It was hard to watch as Luffy sank back into the bed and hissed and grunted in pain. Luffy tried not to show it, but the strain in his face was obvious.

When Chopper finished Sanji gave Luffy a few moments to recover and relax. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed and though Luffy did flinch, he didn't inch away. It was obvious his captain was nervous as hell, but if nothing else, Luffy was known for his bravery.

Bite by bite, captain and chef worked their way through the small meal. They took several small breaks to make sure the food had settled but at the end with Sanji sporting an empty plate and Luffy a full stomach, the morale in the room lifted that little bit higher. There was a long race ahead of them but they'd just jumped another hurdle. Tomorrow would prove the hardest yet. When the sun rose they would dock to resupply.

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**Wow. Well. Lots of changes and mostly all of this is new content. I hope you like and keep being patient with me. I'm doing my very best with this and I hope you can see the improvements.**


	3. Heavy Decisions

**A big thank you to all the readers who have taken the time to review so far, both old and new! Some of you have expressed some regret in seeing the old Dark truth go. I can understand where you're coming from but we all develop over time and that old Dark Truth isn't me anymore. The storyline is still mine but that style of writing is obsolete. However! This isn't to say there's anything wrong with you guys enjoying it. If anybody would still like the old Dark Truth to keep, please feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to send you the chapters.**

**There is a LOT of change in this chapter – some rearranging, lots of new content and some scenes gone forever, simply because they had no place in the rewrite any more. I hope you enjoy the changes!**

**Finally, I was wondering if anybody out there would like to give me a hand with writing this fic. I need a little help to bounce ideas, beta read, check my sentence structure etc. If anybody is interested, please let me know :D**

**That aside, without further ado, I present to you – chapter 3!**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 3: Heavy Decisions**

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_Pain bled through Luffy's body, limbs shook and his breath came in short, strangled gasps. The coarse rope around his neck tightened once more. It chafed and burned his skin as he struggled against its hold. It pulled him upwards mercilessly, suspending him in the air. Luffy bucked and flailed in the air as he was slowly suffocated. His fight became frantic, fuelled by panic. His hands rose instinctively to pull at the noose but the drug they'd injected him with left him weak and uncoordinated. It was no use. Just as his thrashing began to wane, the rope loosened and Luffy crashed to the floor in a slumped heap. He greedily sucked in gulps of air as his chest heaved with his heavy panting. He took a few moments to compose himself, Luffy stood, a slight wobble in his legs as he straightened being the only giveaway of his weakness. He stood tall, eyes shadowed under the rim of his straw hat. His attacker wasted no time in repeating the torture._

"_You don't seem so strong now, _captain_."_

...

...

Luffy jerked awake with a strangled gasp. He released it in a shuddery breath and tried to calm his breathing down. A hand suddenly settled on his shoulder in a firm but gentle grip and Luffy released a shrill yelp as he pulled away and twisted on the infirmary cot to see who was there. Usopp's worried eyes gazed back at him and Luffy shrank away from his touch. Usopp swallowed back the hurt and surprise at Luffy's reaction, still unused to his captain's sudden change in personality. He quickly recovered and lifted his hands up in a placating gesture.

"My bad." He said simply and offered Luffy a shaky smile.

Luffy stared back at Usopp, too exhausted to humour his marksman. His gaze settled on Usopp's lips, once again avoiding eye contact. It made Usopp uncomfortable, though he tried not to show it. There were a lot of things he'd seen in the last few weeks that had made him uncomfortable; like how small Luffy looked curled up on his side, or how his fearless captain jerked at any contact and startled at any sound. A few hours ago had hopefully been a start to Luffy's recovery at last. He had foolishly hoped that Luffy might wake up as _Luffy _again, but here sat this stranger that had taken his place that looked through Usopp and not at him. It made his insides churn, but Usopp knew he had to be strong and brave for Luffy now, like Luffy had always been for him.

Luffy was surprised when Usopp's tanned hand slipped into his vision. He had been lost in thought for a moment, staring at the bed sheets. He followed the length of the arm with his eyes and blinked curiously.

"Here," Usopp said as he shifted his hand closer.

Luffy looked down again at the intruding appendage and realised Usopp was offering him a damp cloth. It brought it to his attention that his nightmare had left him sweaty and sticky and he gratefully accepted the cloth with a shaky hand.

Usopp smiled as Luffy accepted the cloth. His gaze drifted over to the soaked bedsheet and Luffy's soggy bandages. He wondered what terrible monsters Luffy faced in his dreams to bring out such a reaction. Nightmares were nothing new after all – Luffy had them fairly frequently even before this happened. Though he always appeared so untouchable, the scars of their violent encounters had obviously marked him in some way. Now it was different though. Usopp recognised the haunted look Luffy carried with him now. It was the same one that flitted across his face after those past nightmares for the briefest of moments before Luffy realised where he was and that he had only been dreaming. Usopp wondered what demons lingered in Luffy's mind to make him wear that expression all the time.

"Was it bad...?" he asked, gently.

Luffy lifted his bowed head again and regarded Usopp with a curious, tired expression.

"The dream, I mean..." Usopp elaborated. "It..." he started and then hesitated a moment, unsure. He swallowed thickly and decided to go ahead with his question. "It was of that night, right?" It felt taboo to even mention that night, as though bringing the issue up would revert Luffy back to the catatonic state he'd been in the first few days after he'd woken.

Luffy nodded mutely and averted his eyes as he continued to wipe away the physical remnants of the nightmare. Usopp's sad eyes made him uncomfortable.

"It's a little past three, I think." Usopp said, breaking the awkward silence that settled between them. "Everybody else but us is asleep. We're gonna be docking in a few hours to resupply."

Luffy tensed at Usopp's words. He'd been so lost in thought as of late he'd failed to register most of the conversations going on around him. The thought of facing _strangers _was a terrifying prospect. The emotion in itself was foreign for Luffy. He was used to embracing adventures and new people into his world but after that night... what happened... he just didn't know who he could trust.

Usopp didn't miss the reaction. He had hoped the idea of meeting new people and exploring a new island would invoke a small spark of excitement in Luffy. Now he felt foolish for even harbouring that hope. His heart clenched as dark thoughts crept wickedly into his mind. What if this really was the end for them? If Luffy didn't claw his way back from this could they go on without him? It was unthinkable!

"Luffy..." Usopp choked out, his voice suddenly tight with emotion.

Luffy lifted tired eyes and studied Usopp in a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. He focussed on Usopp's nose and avoided direct eye contact.

"Please Luffy... you're gonna be okay, right?" Usopp whispered shakily. Tears pooled in his eyes and Luffy's widened at the sight. Luffy's heart hammered in his chest at the question. He looked every bit the deer caught in the headlights. A heavy silence hung between them for several moments that felt a lifetime before a tired groan sounded from beside the bed. Sanji, who had fallen asleep there after he'd delivered Luffy his first successful meal, sat up with a grunt and scratched his sleep scuffed hair.

"You can't ask him something like that now, idiot." He reprimanded quietly, though there was no malice or anger in his tone. He had listened half heartedly to the pair as he floated between sleep and consciousness.

Usopp choked out a quiet sob as he knuckled away the tears and bit his lip. "But... But I..."

"He can't answer that right now." Sanji continued coolly as he patted his shirt in search of a cigarette and cursed half heartedly as he realised he was out. He knew exactly how Usopp felt but Luffy had only opened his heart to them the barest bit just hours earlier. It was too soon to expect more from him. "Ne, Captain?"

Luffy lowered his head once more as his shoulders sagged with guilt. He shook his head from side to side. Sanji resisted the urge to sigh. Like Usopp a foolishly hopeful shred of hope still waited for Luffy to jump up and declare that he would find the asshole that did this to him and kick his ass. It was just a dream, but their crew lived by their dreams and so he didn't try to stamp out the hope. Luffy was as unpredictable as a tornado and just about as destructive. He could come back to them yet.

"Luffy..." Usopp said, his voice quivering with emotion.

Slowly, gently he leaned forward and embraced his captain. Luffy resisted the urge to pull away ad instead clenched his eyes closed and endured the contact. Sanji watched wordlessly as Luffy's face reddened with the effort of allowing the embrace. The cook figured it was the best thing Luffy could give to Usopp right now in ways of an apology or hope. Luffy couldn't help the tremors that shook his body though and reluctantly Usopp pulled away.

"Thanks." Usopp whispered and offered a watery smile. Luffy nodded his response, head still bowed.

"Since you're up," Sanji spoke quietly and rose to his feet. "There's some stuff you should know."

Luffy fiddled with the bed sheets nervously as Sanji circled the bed and sat on the edge of the thin mattress.

"We have to go back." Sanji finally said. He almost flinched when Luffy's head snapped up, eyed wide with fright.

"Sanji!" Usopp hissed, his anger obvious. "You said it yourself, you jerk! Luffy isn't ready for this!"

"He should know." Sanji replied simply, eyes narrowed at Usopp heatedly. "This is his ship and we're his crew so ultimately the decision is his and it's not like I'm asking him to make the decision now. I just think he should know."

Usopp clenched his fists and glared at the floorboards furiously. He didn't want to wake his fellow crewmates from their much needed rest by kicking up and argument and so settled back into silence. The rest of the crew could deal with Sanji's decision when they woke. Seeing no signs of further protest, Sanji continued.

"Nami-san called us together and explained that there's no way around it. If we want to continue our journey we have to sail through those waters again."

To say Luffy looked devastated would have been an understatement. What colour he had left in his face drained away at Sanji's words as his eyes adopted that haunted look the crew had grown used to seeing on their captain over the last few weeks. Sanji clenched his jaw and chewed the inside of his cheek as he thought of his next words.

"There's no way around it, Luffy." Sanji explained slowly. "Nami-san said she would look for more information on the island, but as it stands you only have two choices. You can sail those waters again, or your journey can end here."

Luffy's head snapped up at the suggestion, the fear in his eyes as clear as any other emotion they'd seen on him.

"I don't expect an answer from you now – none of us do." Sanji continued, "But it's something you should know. The decision is yours to make and you should think it over carefully."

Luffy nodded as his gaze drifted away from Sanji and flitted back and forth between his slumbering crew. Sanji hated to see Luffy in such turmoil, but ultimately his decision would affect all of their lives, not just his own. They could put off telling him to save him the distress, but he would have to make the decision one way or another anyway so he would rather Luffy think long and hard about it.

Usopp continued to glare heatedly at Sanji but the chef ignored it. Usopp was entitled to feel like he did. It was torture to watch Luffy go through this and everybody's emotions were running high. Luffy had done nothing but help the people they'd come across – who would want to do something like that to him? They'd sat many times in the first days, guarding Luffy's recovering body like dogs as they sat and contemplated the possibilities of who and why. Perhaps an old enemy? Was it Kuro? Krieg? Arlong, maybe? Just who the hell would have the strength and intelligence to do this to Luffy on _their own_ ship, their _Sunny_, without even waking any of the remaining crew? It was infuriating. Robin had even been on watch that night, so _nobody_should have been able to get past her with her devil fruit ability.

All of them just wished Luffy would _tell _them, would say something – anything! If he could give them some kind of clue, an idea of just what had had taken place that night maybe they could concoct a plan to prevent it from happening again. Right now though it was enough a task for him to just consider the idea of facing those evils again with the possibility that his crew might not be able to prevent whatever happened from happening again.

The first ray of sunlight started to peek through to the Sunny's infirmary and Sanji palmed at his eyes sleepily. It was going to be a long day.

...

...

"You _what_!?"

Nami's voice echoed across the expanse of the sunlit deck. Sanji didn't flinch at the scolding from his precious Nami-swan and stood his ground as she stared him down with a fury reserved for those that stole her gold and hurt her nakama.

"He needed to know, Nami-san." Sanji replied softly.

"Not right now he didn't!" Nami yelled back as she felt and insetting headache and rubbed her temples. "Luffy's got more than enough on his plate right now."

"He's always been able to clear his plate as long as I've known him." Sanji quipped back, to the navigator's surprise. "No matter how full."

"We're not talking about food here, Sanji-_kun_!" Nami hissed, furious at the chefs decision to go ahead and tell Luffy of their predicament without his fellow crewmates consent.

"He needed to know." Sanji stated again and held his ground.

Nami opened her mouth to bite back another argument but Zoro beat her to it. From across the deck he called, "Just what gave you that idea, shitty cook?" There was no anger in his deep voice. His weights shuffled together with soft clinks as he fixed his gaze on Sanji. A quiet storm rumbled within Zoro's eyes that promised punishment should his answer be less than satisfactory. Sanji contemplated his words before he answered. He had already known that the crew would be furious with his actions, but he didn't care. Luffy needed to know.

"It's not fair to do that to him." He finally answered. "After Usopp told him we would be docking today... his face..."

"But docking is nothing!" Nami protested, as she flailed her arms to emphasise her point.

"It wasn't 'nothing' to him," Sanji explained and turned to look at Usopp. "I saw the look on his face and so did you, Usopp!"

"What look?" Zoro asked as he set his weights now and stepped forward to join the conversation fully.

"He was terrified..." Usopp admitted. "I thought... I'd hoped that maybe seeing new people... exploring and island would..." he felt foolish and his excuses died in his throat. "I told him we were docking today to resupply and he looked terrified."

"It's to be expected after all Luffy-san's been through." Brook said suddenly. "It feels me with rage to think that the culprit might be lurking somewhere on that very island."

"Telling him we're docking is one thing, bro." Franky said as he too joined the discussion. "But why did he need to know about going back there? It could have waited."

"How long?" Sanji answered. "We would have waited one day after another to see another little improvement, too frightened to set him back with news like that! We left telling him about docking until now – hours before we planned to do it! He needs as much time as he can get to make this decision. It might be the biggest choice of his life."

"We could have waited, Sanji-kun!" Nami argued back. "He didn't need to know he had to go back to that place yet!"

"That's the thing, Nami-san," Sanji answered, his own voice quiet and dull. "He doesn't."

His words hit Nami like a ton of bricks. It had never occurred to her that Luffy might not _choose _to keep going. If somebody had suggested it to her a few weeks ago she'd have laughed in their face but now... Luffy was a different person. The reality knocked the wind from her and the rest of the crew.

"...it's a big decision." Sanji said, finally. "He needs to know it's his to make."

"Shitty cook." Zoro mumbled, though he agreed with Sanji's decision.

"Have we decided on what to do with Luffy-san when we dock?" Brook asked. "I have no business to attend to on this island, so I would be happy to stay aboard the ship with him."

"If the bastard that attacked Luffy _is _on this island then they would recognise the flag." Zoro stated, his body hunched over the rail in thought. It was a tough call.

"We could take turns going on land." Sanji suggested.

"I need to restock the medical supplies." Chopper muttered, "But..." he bit his lip nervously. "What if they start attacking us next...?"

"That's a possibility." Robin answered. "It would be a good strategy of attack, plucking off the strongest one by one when they are isolated."

Chopper shivered as a chill ran down his spine. Robin was creepy sometimes! "B-But... we still need to resupply." He muttered.

"Then maybe the best plan is to bring him with us?" Franky said, though he looked less than pleased with the idea. It was a risk either way – if Luffy caused a scene in public it would attract unwanted attention and his head was worth a juicy bundle of berri to anybody willing to take advantage of his weakened state. From what they'd seen of the island when they'd passed through weeks earlier, Franky had no doubt there would be many willing to try.

They had stopped at the island briefly to resupply the day before Luffy had been attacked. The island was small but dangerous, little more than a rock outcrop in the middle of the ocean. Nothing crew there and so it was left to the imagination as to where the traders that made their home there gathered the supplies they sold to passing ships. It wasn't hard to guess. The island attracted scavengers, vultures and a selection of unsavoury crowds.

Nami had called it within the first hour they'd been there. She recognised the type – she had been one of them before she met Luffy. It didn't take sharp eyes to see the shady exchanges or strong ears to hear the gloating of the men. They were people that attacked and pillaged trade ships for gold and supplies. It would definitely be a gamble bringing Luffy among such shady characters, but the best place for him was with the _entire _crew. After all, if the attacker had been strong enough to bring Luffy down, there was no telling how a divided crew would stand against them.

The decision fell on Zoro's shoulders. He exhaled slowly though his nose, eyes closed in thought. He was usually a man of action rather than planning, but with Luffy in his current state this one decision could spell the end for the Strawhat crew.

"We should all stay together." He finally muttered, but then added, "But we need to resupply on food and medicine first. It would be better to dock in the evening under darkness."

"The markets aren't open in the evening... I don't think there are any wild herbs I can forage."

Zoro grunted out a noise of displeasure. Under the cover of darkness Luffy would be better protected and their best chance of gathering any information surrounding the attack lay within the drunken thugs that stewed within the bars. There would have to be a compromise.

"If I can make a suggestion, Zoro-kun?" Robin interjected with a calm smile. "Since there is less danger in the day, perhaps a supply party can travel on the Mini Merry whilst the rest of us remain here with Luffy-san?"

"But what about gathering information...?" Nami asked. "That takes care of restocking, but we still need to find out all we can about what's happened and if anybody knows anything."

"We've no idea if the people that did this are still out there." Sanji stated as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. He would definitely be part of the supply group to gather more food and his precious cigarettes.

"The best chance we have of keeping Luffy-san safe is to protect him as a group." Robin replied. "Once the supply group returned we could begin preparations for docking at the island and make our way out once night falls. Together."

A heavy silence hung in the air. Nobody liked the idea of taking Luffy away from the ship in the condition he was in. If he panicked or reacted badly to something it could spell trouble for all of them, but staying on the ship once docked he was a sitting duck. They had no idea of the offenders' strength and thus no idea if a divided crew could adequately defend him. They could take to the sea once more without any more information but if they were attacked again the consequences could be dire.

"Alright – Chopper, shitty cook, Franky," Zoro said. "You three can be the supply group. The rest of us will wait here for your return."

"And tonight?" Nami urged. Though she was anxious about exposing Luffy to the dangers of the island, she was also just as eager to weasel information out of the thugs that inhabited the rock. It was finally something she could do to help. Sitting around doing nothing for these past weeks had been torture, watching Luffy suffer and unable to help in any way. This was finally a way she could contribute.

"Tonight we dock." Zoro answered.

That statement was enough to spur the group into action. Chopper, Sanji and Franky set off to ready the Mini Merry whilst the rest of the crew busied themselves in preparation for docking that evening.

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**Phew! That took me a while. This chapter was very hard... lots of changes, lots of new content and lots of revision. I hope the changed are welcomed and enjoyed ¦D**

**I'll try to get the next chapter out soon!**


	4. A Little Laughter

**Wow...! The response I got for the last chapter was amazing! Thanks very much everyone! I'm very sorry for the long wait with this one but I'm glad you understand that waiting for the chapter is hopefully worth it in the end as it gives me time to make it the best I can. I'd also like to thank anybody that sent a message/review my way asking politely if I could please work on this chapter. Sometimes I just forget about writing with all my busy stuffs going on and need a little reminder, so thank you!**

**Just so you guys didn't have to wait an extra few days/week I've asked my beta's to make their corrections for me to add at a later date so please excuse any spelling errors/mistakes. **

**This chapter is all new content, so please enjoy! Once again, all feedback is appreciated.**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 4: A Little Laughter**

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For the first time in weeks, Luffy rested. The ship bobbed silently in the waves as the crew went about their business quietly, each relieved by their captain's peaceful sleep. By the time Luffy did stir, Sanji Chopper and Franky had already departed for the island to resupply. The sunlight filtered in through the infirmary window as it began its slow descent to the west, well into the afternoon. It splashed across Luffy's face, illuminating his pale skin and rousing him from his slumber. With a sleepy groan Luffy dragged his sticky eyes open and squinted against the sunlight. Rebelliously he rolled over and pulled the thin blanket that covered him over his head and curled his body into a ball. Just as soon as he'd rejected the light he quickly unfurled and sat upright, eyes wide as he realised it had to be well into the day for the sun to shine into the infirmary. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept through a sunrise, having been constantly plagued by nightmares. It felt odd, but good and sparked a gentle rumble of excitement in the pit of his stomach, a quiet hope that finally things were improving.

Slowly Luffy eased himself out of the bed, body still littered with ugly injuries. By now his bandages had began to come loose and Luffy squirmed at the imminent _closeness _he would have to endure to have them changed. A tremor ran down his spine at the thought but he shook it off and glanced warily at the door. He wondered if they would expect more of him today after all that had happened last night. The thought made him tense and left a heavy feeling over his entire body. It was time to face another day.

The crew left behind were busy with preparations for docking in the hours to come and nobody but Robin noticed as Luffy gingerly crept from the infirmary into the sunlight. She had kept watch vigilantly over her captain through the convenience of her devil fruit ability. It gave Luffy some time to relax on his own without the concerned faces hovering around him, but with the reassurance that he was not completely alone.

"Luffy-san," Robin greeted gently, so as not to startle to boy. He flinched regardless and turned to the source of the voice. Robin smiled earnestly; just days earlier Luffy had been so withdrawn it would take several attempts to get a reaction from him, if at all. Last night a lot of progress had been made. "Good morning." she continued.

Luffy gazed to the sun with sleepy eyes, staring at it thoughtfully for a moment before his eyes drifted back to Robin.

"Afternoon," She elaborated softly. "You slept a long time. Do you feel any better?"

Luffy looked surprised with the question. Since that night he'd felt powerless, out of control. He'd felt weak, sore and above all, frightened. Now with food settled in his tummy (no matter how small or liquefied it had been) and a good rest behind him he _did _feel a bit better. Strangely he felt more tired now than he had before his rest. It was a different kind of tired, a welcome feeling. Before his sleep was a product of exhaustion as his recovering body screamed for him to rest despite the memories that plagued him in his dreams. It had been a deep exhaustion that soaked its way into his body right down to the bones. The sleepiness that blanketed him now was warm and welcome; the kind of feeling he got when he'd had one too many rums – minus the giddiness. It almost, _almost _felt good. If the persistent throbbing of his healing wounds weren't there to remind him of the state his body was in, he might have even smiled, but then that might just have given away too much. After a moment he dipped his head firmly in a swift nod.

Robin's smile widened at his answer. "You still seem tired. Would you like to rest some more? We won't be docking until after dark."

Luffy's stomach churned and he shook his head with a thick swallow. Robin didn't miss his quickened breathing or the way his hands fisted and loosened repeatedly in a nervous motion. She was careful not to let her smile fall. What Sanji had said earlier had made a lot of sense to her and she too believed that they shouldn't be hiding things from Luffy. Whether their damaged Captain liked it or not, he would either have to face his demons as they came or go home. Robin had faith he would make the right decision.

Luffy seemed unsure of what to do next as he chewed over the new information. Robin decided to take the initiative.

"Are you hungry, Luffy-san?" she asked. "Sanji-san prepared breakfast for you before he left."

Luffy's brow furrowed in confusion and Robin realised that he probably had no idea some of the crew had gone ahead to the island already.

"We agreed that it would be wiser to restock whilst the markets were out during the day." She elaborated.

Luffy nodded slowly, accepting the information. The click of the galley door opening startled Luffy and he spun around and hissed as the movement aggravated his lingering burns and wounds. His body until now had been mostly stationary and when he did move it was often slow and lethargic. With a spark of renewed energy his body's reflexes were slowly returning, much to his disdain as he clutched at a particularly nasty burn on his side that had been stretched; an ugly down side to his rubbery skin.

Zoro looked over to Luffy as he heard the boy groan in pain. His initial reaction had been one of alarm but he soon calmed upon taking in the sight of Luffy. He didn't look _good_, but he looked _better_. He walked towards Luffy, mindful to keep his approach paced and calm.

"Yo, Luffy." Zoro greeted, his voice unusually gentle. Robin's presence didn't go unnoticed and he acknowledged her with a silent nod before he returned his attention to Luffy. "You look like you could use a wash and some fresh bandages. Chopper probably won't be back for a few hours yet. He didn't want to wake you, but I can do it if you don't want to wait."

Luffy mulled over the offer for a few silent moments before his head dipped in a curt nod again. His bandages were itchy and soggy with sweat and his hair felt grimy and heavy on his head. Washing was a terrifying prospect. The water left him weak and vulnerable – it left him exposed. Though he knew there was little he could do in his current state to defend himself, when he was submerged he could do _nothing_. Zoro could see the uncertainty in Luffy's eyes as he led him to the washroom. They walked with a heavy silence between them as Luffy tried to remain calm. As they walked into the washroom, both blinked in surprise as they were greeted with the sight of naked Usopp.

"Uh... yo?" Usopp greeted and laughed awkwardly. He had just finished scrubbing up to take a bath himself. He smiled at Luffy and lifted a hand in a static wave. "Need any help?"

Luffy fought the urge to cringe. It was hard enough handling it with once person so close. He left Zoro to answer Usopp as he eased himself down onto a stool and began peeling off his clothes amidst a barrage of soft pained hisses.

Usopp and Zoro watched him in quiet awe. Until now Luffy had been so injured he'd been unable to do anything for himself. Though it was only a small step towards recovery, it was just one more step forward. They waited patiently as Luffy unravelled the soiled bandages and weakly scrubbed at his raw skin. His movements were jerky and slow but both crewmates obediently refrained from commenting as Usopp slipped into the bath and Zoro stood guard by the door. After several minutes Luffy resigned himself to the fact he wouldn't be able to do everything himself just yet. His body screamed from just the small exertion he'd shown and he reluctantly placed the soap on the floor.

Zoro didn't need to be asked twice as he kept his sharp eyes trained on Luffy. He saw the exhaustion slowly settle into Luffy's body at the small act of washing himself and when his captain reached his limit, Zoro moved forward without prompting. He knelt beside Luffy (he'd quickly found out Luffy relaxed more when you were in his line of sight) and set about gently scrubbing his hair and back. His trousers and shirt quickly soaked through as he rinsed Luffy off but he stayed focused on his task, mindful to get it done as quickly as possible without hurting his captain. Though he couldn't hide his trembling, Luffy dutifully stayed put and endured the contact. Until now, washing him had either been done when he was unconscious, or unresponsive. Any time they'd tried it otherwise had ended in disaster with Luffy injuring himself further.

"You're doing good, Luffy." Zoro said, softly, proud at Luffy's endurance. He didn't get a response, but that didn't matter.

Finally he finished cleaning Luffy off and tending to his scabbed burns and injuries. They could end it here and head back to the infirmary but the strain in Luffy's face gave away the pain he was obviously in. A hot bath would help relax him and ease the aches. Zoro wasn't about to force his captain into something he wasn't ready for though.

By now Usopp had soaked for a good while and climbed out of the tub with a content sigh. The silence until now had been easy and comfortable so he hadn't wanted to break it, but seeing the turmoil between captain and first mate he felt he had to speak up.

"Are you having a bath, Luffy?" he asked and tried to keep his voice normal. He also tried to keep the hope from his voice, not wanting to pressure his fragile Captain after all the progress that had been made.

Luffy's shoulders rose softly as he sucked in a breath and then sagged as he released it in a heavy sigh. A bath sounded good, but with it he would have to place his trust fully in the hands of his crew to protect him; something he hadn't been able to do since that night. For a long couple of minutes he didn't respond, haunted eyes fixed on the soaked bathroom floor as he debated silently. Zoro waited patiently, stoic as ever as he rinsed off the scrubbing brush he'd used to clean Luffy.

Usopp fidgeted nervously. He wondered if perhaps he'd wandered over that fragile line that would cause his best friend to retreat from him again. The dread that settled in his stomach at that prospect rivalled any he'd felt facing up against past enemies. It was more frightening in a way. Physical pain could be anticipated – it healed, but the pain Luffy endured day to day was invisible and unpredictable. It scared Usopp more than anything they'd faced until this point. In a battle of fists he had faith his captain would eventually come out on top. Luffy wasn't the kind of person to be beaten down and dominated. This battle was something entirely new though. Whatever Luffy had faced that night was still with him, raging an ongoing battle that he was left to quietly fight alone. Finally after last night it seemed as if the battered captain might have reached out for their help in the smallest way, a tiny step in the right direction. One wrong move could slam those doors shut again and shatter the delicate trust that was slowly reweaving between Luffy and his crew. That thought shook Usopp to his core and in a sudden panic that he might have just overstepped that boundary, he let loose a string of stuttered conversation in an attempt to retract his earlier, innocent enquiry.

"O-Of course you don't _have _to have a bath, I mean there's really no _real _reason if you don't feel up to it right? I-I mean you're clean! Completely clean! Squeaky clean! And y-you probably have better things to do like... um, like... e-eat and... sleep and... and... yeah! So just forget I said anything, okay?"

Zoro and Luffy stared comically wide eyed at Usopp as he jabbered on and on and effectively filled the awkward silence. The sudden noise had been so unexpected amongst the tense silence just moments before; at first it had startled Luffy, but now he sat somewhat bewildered by Usopp's display. Zoro quickly caught on to the cause of the sharpshooters outburst as he too had felt dread slowly creep into his veins just moments earlier. A quick glance to his side flooded Zoro with relief however as he spotted the surprise plastered across Luffy's face. It was the most 'normal' expression he'd shown in weeks. It reminded Zoro of those dense moments when Luffy, who seemed to take everything in his stride, either didn't understand or was genuinely surprised by something. It was a welcome expression and though Zoro was thankful for Usopp's outburst bringing out such a normal reaction in Luffy, the babbling had really, _really _started to irritate him.

"Usopp-"

"I mean, Sanji prepared a great meal for you! I wish I could get personalised meals, it's like you're one of the girls...! N-not that I'm calling you a girl or anything because we're men! _Manly men_!"

"Oi..."

"That's not to say you should be acting tough or anything! You have to recover more before anything like that... can... w-well you get what I mean, right? And, uh, food! Right we need to get you fed! Brooke should be on watch by now so we should have some nice muuuuusic whilst we're eating~ lala~... lalateeda~"

Zoro's protest died in his throat as he watched Usopp, stark naked and halfway out of the tub abruptly leapt back into the water and erupted into dance with an invisible partner. Luffy seemed just as quietly perplexed as his head canted softly and his eyebrows knit together. The two watched in a whole new awkward silence as Usopp then morphed into some sort of wriggly worm dance followed by a touch of ballroom. The twilight moment was abruptly ended when Usopp's foot made contact with a bar of slippery soap hiding beneath sloshing bath water and in just as comical fashion as his earlier dancing the sharpshooter performed an impressive back-flip that ended in a belly-flop back into the tub.

For a brief moment there was silence. Zoro, exasperated and somewhat creeped out by Usopp's display wondered whether he should investigate if he was in fact okay. A second later he was relieved that he wouldn't have to go near (and possible catch his crewmates insanity) as Usopp burst from the water with a cry of: "It hurrrrrts!" clutching his crooked nose. Both Zoro and Luffy started as a soft yelp escaped Luffy's lips.

Zoro's moved towards Usopp in long strides, so intent on giving the idiot a good thump to the head he failed to notice the slight upward curve of Luffy's lips into a gentle, mischievous smile.

"_Shishishi..._"

Both crewmates froze; Zoro fully clothed and halfway into the tub and Usopp stark naked, half way retreated out of it. They exchanged a shocked glance to one another before their attention fixed on Luffy. It was quiet and withdrawn but that one little sound banished the negativity and tension from the room.

Luffy was laughing.

"You idiot..." Zoro admonished Usopp affectionately.

"Ne, Luffy!" Usopp called, and smiled brightly as Luffy glanced his way, the remnants of a smile still lingering on his face. "How about that bath? I can tell you a story if you like."

This time the hesitation was brief. Luffy dipped his head slowly in confirmation. A bath would be good. The normality of the situation felt _good_. Luffy was no fool and knew the weight lifted from his heart would not stay away, but for now he felt lighter. Gingerly he stood and carefully made his way across the slippery floor towards his waiting crewmates.

Franky glanced across the Mini Merry to Sanji, then Chopper. It was strange to see his usually animated crewmates so reserved and pensive. Even through the past few weeks when the tension had been thick and heavy, every crew member had tried to keep themselves busy; not giving themselves time to think about what had happened. Franky had kept himself locked away in his workroom, unsure how to treat the strong captain he'd chosen to follow that suddenly seemed so frail. His eyes drifted to Sanji's hands where a cigarette sat pinched loosely between his pointer and ring finger. The chef had been lost in thought and distracted since they'd left the ship that morning. The only words he'd heard Sanji speak had been his interactions with the vendors as he'd resupplied the food stock for the Sunny. Even then his words has been clipped and his thoughts elsewhere. Franky knew what had Sanji so distracted. It was the first time any of them had ventured away from the ship – away from Luffy – since that night. It was obvious that they were all eager to get back to make sure everything was still okay, yet none of them dared suggest cutting their supply trip short. They were pirates and danger was a part of the job description. Luffy was their Captain and in perfectly capable hands that would keep him safe no matter what.

That ominous whispering that had echoed around all of their heads and hearts since that day however, continued to remind them that he hadn't been safe _that night_when all of this started. Considering that, he could understand the tension between them now, the anxiety and desire to return to their ship. Understanding however didn't help ease the heavy tension that had settled between the three crewmates.

Chopper fussed over his new medical supplies as he restocked his small backpack from the large sack of supplies he'd purchased in the town. He'd only had a few moments to assess Luffy's condition before they'd left that morning and he hadn't wanted to disturb his captain's first restful sleep in weeks by touching him. Chopper hadn't really had time to think since this all started. He's kept busy with Luffy's treatment and the concoction of different ointments to ease his pain over the past weeks, but now in the small boat as he finished packing all he could into his small pack he found himself in a dangerous stillness that let his mind wander and feel. Several emotions restrained by his constant motion slowly crept to the surface and probed at his mind, fear, anxiety... anger. A quiet rage bubbled dangerously beneath his surface; it reminded him or back in Drum when he'd lost Hiruluk – his father in all but blood. It reminded him of the rage that swallowed him after he consumed three rumble balls. It frightened him that he felt that same feeling lurking beneath his skin when he thought of what had been done to his precious captain. Beside the rage a heavy lump of fear had also settled in his gut. Sanji's words from the day before floated around his brain. What if Luffy couldn't come back from this? What if this was the end of their journey together? Could they really go on without Luffy? Would he really want to? He had been the force that dragged them all together in the first place. Would they slowly become unglued without him?

Franky glanced once again to Chopper as the reindeer shook his head and scrubbed at his eyes with his arm. This was beginning to takes its toll on everybody. It was in times like these that Luffy brought them all together and pushed them through whatever hardships they were facing. Luffy couldn't do that for them right now though. Franky knew this time they would have to pull themselves through and with a determined nod he turned to face chopper.

"Oi, how about we sing a song?"

"Eh...?" Chopper noised softly. The proposition had been so unexpected it left him speechless and stilled his restless mind.

"A song – we can make our own!"

"Idiot." Sanji hissed quietly, though never tore his gaze from the distant figure of the Sunny-Go on the horizon. "You want to sing at a time like this!?"

"There's no better time, pervy-cook!" Franky smirked back. "Our captain needs to see we're just as strong as we've ever been and he can count on us!"

"Luffy... does like music." Chopper added timidly as he looked from Franky to Sanji.

"We can work out the story and sniper-bro can make it into a song!" Franky suggested.

"A-And Brook can make the music!" Chopper added, his enthusiasm slowly growing.

Sanji offered no more criticism of the idea nor assistance and so Franky and Chopper set about concocting a storyline for their song. Deep down Sanji knew that Franky was just trying to ease the invisible weights that rested on all of their shoulders by returning some normalcy to their day but nevertheless he couldn't bring himself to join in and kept his eyes on the Sunny as they drew closer.

By the time they were prepared to board Franky and Chopper had fantasised an entire song based around a rubber world where everybody and everything was made of rubber like Luffy. Usopp and Nami, who had come to help unload their new supplies blinked in surprise as the two conversed animatedly over their ideas as though nothing were wrong.

"They're making a song for Luffy." Sanji explained blandly as he hauled a large sack of potatoes over his shoulder and walked towards the galley. He had to admit though, listening to the two of them had made his heart feel just a little bit lighter.

"A song?" Nami asked incredulously.

"Mm!" Chopper noised as he shifted to walk point so that Franky could load supplies onto his back. "It's about a rubber world with rubber animals and rubber food! It's really chewy! You've gotta help us make it into a song, Usopp!" Chopper then paused in his enthusiasm as he spotted Usopp's broken nose. "Ah! What happened to your nose!?"

"Huh? O-Oh... this... heh, I just fell in the tub... hehe..."

"Oh... that reminds me, I have to bathe Luffy's injuries..." Chopper muttered, his enthusiasm waning.

"Done!" Usopp chirped, a smile gracing his face. "Zoro helped him wash and he's using the medicine we have left to treat his injuries before you re-bandage him."

"He let you wash him?" Franky asked, incredulously. He had been enlisted to help wash Luffy one of the first times they'd tried after that night. He couldn't quite wrap his head around the possibility that Luffy would willingly climb into a tub with any one of them.

"He got in with me and Zoro but he looked a bit uncomfortable with us both there so I rinsed off and left 'em to it." Usopp replied, still smiling. "He even laughed!"

"He laughed?!" Chopper exclaimed, eyes wide. "What did he laugh at?"

"Ah... well... s-something funny of course!" Usopp replied with a cough as he tried to hide the blush that stained his cheeks.

"He laughed?" Sanji repeated chopper's question. He had returned just in time to hear Usopp's claim.

"He did! Really!"

Sanji looked doubtfully to Nami for confirmation but she smiled back at him and nodded. Chopper, Usopp and Franky in the meantime had had shared a brief victory dance before they resumed their unloading of supplies amongst excited discussion of their song-to-be. The light wouldn't last much longer and they had a lot of preparation to complete before their trip inland that night. It was a huge risk they had no choice but to take. It had taken this long to drag Luffy back a few paces from the abyss he'd teetered on since that night but for the first time in what seemed a long time a spark of hope ignited amongst the Strawhat crew.


	5. The Hat

**Thank you to everybody sticking with this story. Just to let you know I'm sticking with this until its completion. Once again a big thank you to the people who have taken the time to beta. If anybody else is interested in sharing ideas or helping me improve this story feel free to contact me. Feedback is always appreciated! Tell me what you want to see and I'll see what I can do – if you're reluctant to leave it in a review just drop me a PM.**

**Thanks you to my beta's:**

**Deathgod777**

* * *

**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 5: The Hat**

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Luffy watched blandly as the sun dipped closer towards the horizon. The corners of his lips mimicked the orbs motion as they settled into a troubled frown as it slipped slowly behind the distant horizon. The brilliant blue of the sea faded to a murky grey as the sky shifted its colour to a bright orange, soft pink and then deep blood red. It made him feel sick and he swallowed back the wet feeling in his mouth. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there when they called him. They'd been discussing the events to occur that night and he didn't want to hear about it. Brook had seemed compliant with most of their ideas and had been the one participating least in the conversation. Luffy was grateful for it as the skeleton had noticed his discomfort and invited him onto the deck. The quiet, melancholy melody that vibrated from his violin strings almost made him feel comfortable but with each pause between one song to the next he couldn't help but tense. He didn't dare turn around for fear there may actually be something there... those people from that night.

"Luffy?"

Luffy turned his head slightly to acknowledge the call. It was Chopper.

"Are you alright?" Chopper asked as his hooves clicked loudly against the wood of the Sunny in his approach. Luffy resisted the urge to snort. Was he alright? What a funny question...

"You've been out here a long time... do you need any more pain medicine?" the small reindeer pressed.

Luffy blinked and turned to face Chopper fully, only now seeming to come back to himself. The thick bandages stood stark against his naturally tan body. Even pale, Luffy was darker than most of the crew and the gauze seemed to glow under the light of the moon in contrast to his skin. Chopper fidgeted uncomfortably and Luffy realised he was waiting for an answer. He shook his head, answering no. Pain medication would make him drowsy and that was the last thing he wanted away from the familiarity of the ship.

"Luffy-san, you must be getting hungry," Brook spoke, softly. The soothing melodies came to a halt as the skeleton stood up and stretched. "Ah~! I can play to you more after we eat, if you'd like?"

Luffy released tired sigh and reluctantly nodded. His eyes dragged along the length of the ship and back again with that dull, haunted look that the crew would never grow accustomed to seeing. It was as though the frail hope that had ignited within Luffy had dispersed with the sunset and under the blackness of night all of the torment and terror returned.

Chopper and Brook both followed Luffy's gaze silently. It was almost as if he could see something lingering within the ship's shadows that they couldn't. Brook couldn't help but feel sorry for his new captain. A captain's ship was his pride and until all of this happened it was obvious how true that rang with Luffy. Now though the brave captain he knew that resided in the small, battered body before him looked apprehensive, even fearful of what nightmares could lurk behind the doors of his Thousand Sunny, the ship that was to complete all of their dreams. It tugged at his heart... if he had one... yohoho.

"Sanji's made us a nice meal before we head inland," Chopper piped up suddenly, then softly, almost timidly he added "A-And when we get back maybe... maybe we could sing our song for you..."

Luffy's attention lifted slightly at the mention of music and he turned to Chopper curiously. Though tired, his eyes shone with a soft curiosity.

"That's right, Luffy-san – I'd almost forgotten!" Brook added. "It's something we've been working on all day!"

"Could we... I mean, do you want to hear it?" Chopper asked, hopefully. "When we get back?"

Luffy's interest seemed peaked at the idea of a song in his honour and a glimmer of the hyperactive captain they were all used to, bubbled to the surface as he offered up a smile and a firm nod. It was dim in comparison to his usual confident grin, but it was a thousand times more than Chopper had hoped for. He had to resist the urge to rush to Luffy for a hug. Luffy though seemed to understand his doctor's feelings as he walked towards the galley and hesitantly gave his friend a gentle pat on top of his hat before he made his way inside. Brook watched silently with his expressionless bones before he too rose. He followed Luffy's path and stopped beside Chopper. The reindeer's body shuddered with sobs as tears flowed freely down his furry cheeks. Whether they were happy or sad tears, brook waited patiently for them to dry before he spoke softly: "Let's go inside, ne?" Chopper nodded and with a final sniff he followed Brook's lead into the galley.

The atmosphere as they entered the galley was tense and heavy. Luffy sat at the table and fidgeted uncomfortably as he felt eh concerned eyes of the crew boring into him. He hated those looks and they made him nervous. He startled as suddenly a plate was placed in front of him; he hadn't heard Sanji approach. Luffy dared to brave a quick glance up at the chef and immediately regretted it as he returned his stare to the specially prepared food in front of him. He didn't like seeing the hurt in his crew's eyes as he flinched away from them.

"Ah... sorry Luffy." Sanji spoke, softly. Luffy's reaction had surprised him. After all the progress they'd made over the past couple of days a part of him had hoped they were passed the point where Luffy seemed _afraid _of them.

The entire crew seemed to think along the same lines as they settled into an uncomfortable silence. Nobody knew what to say to fracture the tension pulped around them. Nami decided to bite the bullet and fill Luffy in on their plans. Even if he wasn't a part in deciding them right now he was still their captain.

"We were thinking..." she started, and trailed off as everybody bar Luffy (who found great interest in his pureed dinner) turned their attention toward her. With a frown, she cleared her throat and cemented her resolve. "Luffy," she started again, and made sure to let him know it was he she was talking to. "We were thinking you could wear a robe."

Luffy didn't offer any response and so Nami continued.

"We don't want to attract any unwanted attention or let on to anybody that you're vulnerable right now." She continued. "We've no doubt we can protect you from anything out there... but avoidance would be better."

All eyes turned to Luffy as he pushed the food about his plate with disinterest. Really, how could they expect him to eat when his stomach flopped about inside his skin like a grounded fish. He felt sick. He didn't want to hear their plans or ideas because he didn't want to do what they wanted – what they _expected _him to do.

"Are you not hungry, Luffy?" Chopper asked softly as he noted Luffy's skin pallor and strained expression.

Luffy swallowed thickly and shook his head firmly before he pushed the plate away. He could feel Sanji's eyes burning in the back of his neck and he was sorry he couldn't eat his cook's food. Sanji was the best cook in the world who _cooked _the best food in the world and it only made his insides clench harder at the thought he was letting him down. He was letting them all down. He was their captain – he was supposed to lead them, not the other way around! The stress mounted and along with their expectant looks mingled with disappointment and that sickening blend of worry and fear. With a violent lurch his stomach expelled the undigested remnants of the protein drink Sanji had prepared him after his bath.

Luffy's panting breath wheezed loudly in the otherwise silent room as he coughed weakly and let out a soft groan as his wounds ached. He could practically _feel _the vibes of disappointment oozing from his crew. Robin was the first to speak as she stood from her seat.

"I don't think our captain is quite ready for this yet," she said. Her tone was pleasant but laced with a dangerous warning. "Nevertheless since we still must go inland I think perhaps we should begin preparations."

"C'mon chopper," Usopp said as he too stood and grabbed the small reindeer's hoof. "Let's go get dressed and make sure you have all the supplies you'll need."

"Uh... right..." Chopper answered as he was tugged up from his seat reluctantly. He didn't want to get ready; he wanted to stay by Luffy – what if he had a fever again? "But..."

"We can work on Luffy's song, ne?" Usopp urged. "I mean, it's not quite perfect yet, is it?"

"I... I guess..." Chopper answered as the pair made their way from the galley.

Franky was the next to make a move as he pushed away from the wall he's been leaning on and stretched out his muscles. "I'm gonna go prepare the ship for sail." He explained. "You wanna help, Skeleton-bro?"

"I'd be glad to – yohoho!" Brook answered as he followed Franky out.

Nobody else made a move to leave and Robin glanced from Nami to Zoro to Sanji and a back again. Her eyes settled on Sanji. The chef stared at the untouched puree discarded on the table with obvious disappointment. His arms hung loosely at his sides and his lips pursed in a tight white line. She had no doubt the disappointment was not directed at Luffy was at himself for not preparing something so utterly appetizing that Luffy wouldn't be able to resist, no matter how ill.

"Sanji?" Robin called softly and smiled at the chef. "Could I have a coffee?"

Sanji seemed adequately baffled by the sudden request but quickly shook himself from his stupor and nodded. "Of course, Robin-chan." He answered and turned to begin preparation of the coffee. The room settled into a soft silence again save from the quiet clinking of Sanji. Zoro wordlessly made his way to the cupboard and grabbed an old cleaning rag. He walked over to Luffy, mindful to keep in his line of sight before he knelt down and began to clean up the small puddle of vomit.

Luffy watched the top of Zoro's head tiredly. His whole body thrummed with a symphony of aches and pains. Today had been exhausting and he'd like nothing more than to sleep, but they would be heading inland soon and things would only be worse if he had a nightmare (if he could sleep at all).

"I'm sorry, Luffy." Nami whispered suddenly. She cradled her head in her hands, elbows leaning heavily on the table. "But you know there's no other way, right? Things... don't seem so bad in the day. _You _don't seem so bad in the day but we need to get information if we're going to beat this... whatever _this _is."

"We know you don't want to go." Zoro added as he lifted his head to look into Luffy's eyes. He didn't flinch when Luffy broke the eye contact. "I don't know what scared you so bad, but I want to. I want to cut them into a thousand pieces-"

"And I'd cook them up for lunch." Sanji interrupted.

Zoro smirked before he continued. "We won't think any less of you if you want to run away from this one, but we need to know what you want us to do. You're our captain – future pirate King, remember?"

Those words caused Luffy to physically flinch as if burned. Shanks' face ghosted in his vision and Luffy reached up absently to feel for his hat that wasn't there. He'd barely noticed whether its comforting weight had been on his head or not these past weeks and a sudden surge of panic made him want it. He wanted something physical to cling to – a reminder of the promise he made and the feelings he felt before all of this started. He stood suddenly, knocking over the chair he'd sat on. The remaining crew watched apprehensively as he looked around the galley before he headed for the door. His hat was in the cabin.

"Oi, oi!" Zoro muttered softly, but urgently. He jogged quickly to catch up with his suddenly very agile captain as Luffy made his way out onto the deck. He didn't want Luffy out there alone. Quietly though he was pleased at Luffy's action. His distraction had worried them all and to be distraction to the point where he hadn't even realised the absence of his precious 'Boshi' had disturbed them all. It may have been only a moment of panic that surged Luffy to go outside alone to retrieve his hat but in Zoro's eyes it was just one tiny step closer to the confident soul buried deep inside Luffy's battered body.

By the time Usopp and Chopper had finished dressing, Luffy and Zoro had retrieved Luffy's hat and returned to the galley. An apprehensive silence had settled amongst the crew present and Usopp could feel it as soon as he walked in the room. It was suffocating. Silently his eyes darted from Nami to Zoro to Sanji and then finally Robin, searching for answers. When nobody offered him any he tentatively pulled out a chair to sit, careful not to make too much noise. The air felt electric, as if any wrong move could set off an explosion. It made his heart race though he didn't know whether it was from excitement or fear. Something felt different around Luffy suddenly. Chopper sensed it just as well as Usopp and crawled onto the liar's lap.

Luffy didn't pay notice to his crewmates' entrance. His head was bowed which caused his dishevelled hair to shadow his eyes. Bandaged fingers crunched softly against the battered straw of his hat – his treasure – that he held in his hand, caressing the rim in deep contemplation. Luffy stood; the action was so sudden that each crew member reacted physically. Usopp too lurched to his feet, clutching Chopper to his chest like an oversized teddy bear and knocking over the chair he'd sat on. Zoro, who had been leaning against wall with folded arm pushed away to stand straight and took a subtle step closer to his captain. Nami's head which had rested against her hand clasped together as if in prayer, snapped up, eyes wide and glassy with tears. Sanji paused mid-movement in passing a washed dish for Robin to dry and the pair half turned to see what would happen next.

Luffy stared hard at the hat in his hands. It bore scars and looked as battered as Luffy was himself... yet here it was. It had been put back together a hundred times by Nami – protected a thousand times by his crew. This little hat was so strong Luffy felt he didn't deserve to wear it. Shanks had entrusted it to him and in that trust Luffy had returned a promise and built a dream. Now he was watching that dream crumble from the inside out as his crew desperately tried to rebuild it and lift him back onto the pedestal he'd fallen from. Up there he had been untouchable. People could destroy his body but his dream still shone unwavering. It was time he started to climb back up to that point on his own instead of relying on the backs of his crew to carry him. Luffy had no delusions that it would be easy or that he could go back to how he had been overnight. He felt the cold hand of fear squeeze around his throat every time somebody wandered too close but until now he'd let it take hold and tighten. The Pirate King was the man with the most freedom in all the seas... a Pirate King wouldn't let fear hold him back. Luffy released a heavy sigh. He glanced around at his crew's apprehensive faces and knowing what it would mean to them, he placed the hat on his head.

For a moment that lingered long enough to feel awkward, nobody spoke or moved. Finally Zoro broke the tension as he stepped forward a fresh hope shining in his eyes, though his face remained passive.

"You sure this is what you want?" he asked. Luffy nodded resolutely, though the faint tremble of his body gave away the magnitude of the inner battle waging inside Luffy.

"You should eat something..." Sanji pressed, though he wouldn't force Luffy if he didn't want to. To Sanji's surprise Luffy once again nodded, though he didn't turn to face the cook.

"W-We'll get you some clothes from the cabin...!" Usopp enthused, suddenly very animated as the tiny flicker of hope that had almost been snuffed out roared to life once more.

"I'll inform Franky and Brook that tonight will be going as planned." Robin said as she walked to the table and sipped the last of her coffee. As she finished she moved behind Nami and paused before she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Would you come with me?"

"I could use a bit of fresh air." Nami replied and flashed a tired smile at Robin.

Sanji delivered Luffy's food to the table and Luffy sat down again. He struggled to eat even the small portion Sanji had packed full of nutrients that would help him recover, but stubbornly persisted in pushing one mouthful after another past his lips. Zoro sat opposite Luffy and to Sanji's surprise, when he moved to sit down, Luffy shifted on the bench to give him room to sit beside him. Though Sanji couldn't see Luffy's face under rim of his hat as he sat down, he was close enough to feel his captain's tremble. He'd never felt more pride in the rubber idiot.

As he finished the food Luffy pushed the plate away from him and willed his stomach not to reject it. He would need the strength to get through tonight – each day would be taken one and a time from here on out. There was one thing he was certain of though. His journey wasn't going to end here.


	6. Journey to the Town

**Thank you for the feedback for chapter five. As always, feedback and comments are welcome along with critique. This is a short chapter but chapter 7 will be along fairly quickly behind it. I'd rather continue to post bite-sized pieces to you than to linger on a longer chapter trying to make a word count.**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 6: Journey to the Town**

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Usopp felt a shiver crawl across his body as a chilly gust of wind swept across the beach. In the warmth of their cabins he hadn't thought to dress for the cool night air and quickly regretted his decision to wear a baggy vest with an audible '_brrr!_'. Luffy stood beside him silently watching as the remaining crew made their way to land. They had docked a mile or so off the back of the island and made their way inland via the Mini Merry. Since the small boat could hold a maximum of four people however the journey inland had to be made twice.

Initially the crew had planned to dock the Thousand Sunny at the main harbour, though with their current bounties and their crews reputation it could garner a lot of attention. That was the last thing they needed with Luffy in his weakened state. Many a bounty hunter would easily take advantage of such a situation to reap Luffy's bounty and so they had decided to subtly make their way into town from the back of the island. Nami had been the one to suggest leaving the ship a ways out to sea. This island was full of thugs, thieves and outlaws of all kinds. Not one would hesitate to try and steal their grand Thousand Sunny, though the Mini Merry could be hidden.

As the remaining crew climbed out of the Mini Merry Zoro hoisted the boat up onto his shoulder and followed Nami's direction – _"No, that's the wrong way, idiot!" – _as best he could to its hiding place until they were ready to head back.

"It's cold, ne?"

Luffy startled at the soft voice of his sharpshooter. He'd forgotten Usopp was standing beside him, and at some point Usopp had shifted closer (perhaps hoping to share in Luffy's body heat?). Usopp smiled sheepishly and raised his hands, wiggling his fingers.

"Did I scare ya?" he asked, his voice playful.

Some night ago Luffy would have shied away at such a question, but it was a welcome act of normalcy and so instead he tilted his head gently and the edges of his lips quirked up in a weak smile. Usopp lowered his arms again and grinned back, obviously happy with Luffy's response. It wasn't so long ago his young captain seemed totally lost to them, trapped in his own world of fear and torment.

"I shoulda worn something warmer!" Usopp whined as another breeze swept across the beach. His eyes then widened slightly and he turned to face Luffy, concerned. "Are you warm enough?"

Luffy was taken aback by the sudden question. He blinked in surprise and nodded mutely. Usopp had dug him out a heavy old robe he'd picked up some months back. It served a double purpose, keeping Luffy warm and hiding his battered body from the eyes of anybody who might wish to take advantage of such an opportunity.

"Ah, good!" Usopp said as his smile returned and he turned to watch the rest of the crew conceal the Mini Merry's hiding place.

Luffy watched him for a while, eyes softening as he caught the slight tremor that ran through Usopp's body from the chill in the air. He gingerly took a step closer to Usopp and in a small moment of courage he reached out, shoulder to shoulder with his friend and took his hand. Usopp Turned to face him then, the crew forgotten. His eyes searched Luffy's face before they darted down to their clasped hands and then back again. He smiled widely and turned his attention back to the crew, returning Luffy's grip. Luffy was glad he hadn't made a big deal of the action and when the crew were finished and headed towards them he was glad again as Usopp released him when he pulled away.

"So, what's the plan?" Franky asked. He didn't seem fazed at all by the cold as he stood proudly in his speedo.

"It's not too far into town from here." Sanji answered, and raised arm to point in the direction they would be going. "We can take the mountain path to get their faster but the path is steep and pretty untouched. We would have to pass through a cave too. There's an easier trail around the mountain, though that would take a couple hours."

The crew shared a silent conversation with their eyes and came to a quick agreement.

"You think you can handle a couple hours walk, Captain?" Zoro asked, his eyes holding a rare, gentle expression.

Luffy didn't give any verbal response as he stared up at the trail. Silently he nodded his consent and without any spoken word they began to walk. Though none of them really seemed to notice, they settled into a formation around Luffy like a human shield. They came to a fork in the trail not five minutes into their walk where the path moved off into the trees that grew at the base of the mountain. The foliage around the trunks was thick and tangled, though Luffy could see they had been recently passed through. This had probably been the route Sanji, Chopper and Franky had taken. With only a moment's hesitation, Luffy turned and walked towards the mountain path.

"O-Oi, Luffy!" Chopper called softly. "That's the wrong way!"

Luffy stopped and looked back and Chopper, then to his crew before he faced front and started to walk again. Zoro was the first to react as he jogged to catch up with Luffy, a smirk on his face, his feeling evident as he walked proudly beside his captain. The rest of the crew quickly followed suit.

Thought the path was steep, the foliage wasn't a problem as Luffy's crew demolished every branch or root that dared to block his path. By the time they reached the cave however, Luffy had broken out in a sweat and was obviously exhausted from the travel. They paused at the cave mouth and he leaned heavily against the cragged wall to catch his breath. They had only been walking twenty minutes but with Luffy's body still badly injured it had been an arduous journey for him, though he tried not to show it.

The crew were quick to occupy themselves with frivolous tasks and another time Luffy might have been embarrassed by their silent support. A captain should be backed by his crew, but never pulled along by them. He should always be leading the pack. Luffy however was too exhausted by his short exertion to muster the effort to worry of what his crew would think of him as he eased himself down onto a jagged boulder that rested beside the caves mouth.

"Luffy-san?"

Leaning back against the cave wall as he was Luffy had almost drifted into a light slumber. As he dragged his eyes open again he was grateful to see after a quick glance that none of the crew seemed to have noticed. He returned his gaze to the one that had disturbed his rest. Brook stood before him, his tall form silhouetted by the moon.

"Would you like a drink, Luffy-san?" Brook pressed, and held out a small flask.

Luffy warily watched the skeleton. In a way Brook had been both the hardest and the easiest to deal with since this whole thing started. He hadn't been with them long and the trust between them had been freshly weaved. Like a threadbare net, when Luffy fell against Brook their bond was fragile and tentative and so the heavier Luffy fell the easier it tore. Luffy knew Brook must have felt out of place since that night. He was Brook's new captain, the man who was supposed to lead him to his dreams along with the rest of the crew. For Brook though, Luffy imagined it was like stumbling around in the pitch black, not sure how to place each foot in front of the other lest he might fall or cause damage; and so he stayed still. Their fragile bond stayed that way and though Luffy felt bad about it, he also felt a small prick of relief. The strongest nets in his crew still bore his weight and it hurt him to watch them strain as the burden grew heavier and took its toll. Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp and Chopper; his first five. Their bond was set in steel and hard as diamond. He trusted all his crew the same, but time strengthens bonds like nothing else and as he watched Brook's expressionless face as the skeleton offered him his flask he had to fight back the tremor in his hand as he moved to accept it.

"I'm very proud of you, Luffy-san." Brook said suddenly, his voice hushed so as not to attract the attention of his crewmates. His tone was unusually serious as he stood before Luffy. "You still have my faith and I'm sure the rest of the crew feel the same. I don't regret my decision to join this crew."

Luffy swallowed down a mouthful of water past the lump in his throat that had swelled with Brook's words. He blinked rapidly as his eyes stung with unshed tears and wished he could tell his musician just how much that meant to him. Instead he offered his newest crewmate a shaky nod and moved to stand. Brook resisted the urge the try and help as Luffy's limbs trembled with fatigue. He neither wanted to startle his young captain by invading his space nor insult him by thwarting his attempt at putting up a strong front for his crew's sake.

As Luffy stood, the crews hushed conversations stilled and once again as he made his way into the blackness of the cave they fell into step behind him; as their pace settled into an easy walk the conversation picked up once more. Luffy could hear Brooks gentle humming behind him to his left and the clink of Zoro's katana behind and to the right. Directly behind him Usopp whispered tales of terror into Chopper's ears about cave beasts that enjoyed reindeer meat (much to Chopper's horror. Usopp hesitated briefly in his tale and Luffy could feel his tanned friend' eyes on him before he continued. Luffy was grateful that Usopp hadn't stopped on his behalf. The story didn't frighten him. He had bigger demons haunting his thoughts. Unfortunately chopper didn't share his opinion and with a small shriek of terror as Usopp's story peaked the furry doctor leap onto a stony faced Zoro's head. Zoro huffed quietly but didn't bother to protest as Chopper settled on his shoulders. A little further behind he could hear Nami and Robin talking quietly flanked on either side by Sanji and Franky.

Their journey through the cave though awkward and clumsy hindered by the darkness, was brief and uneventful. Chopper glanced worriedly Luffy's way as he coughed wetly. The air in the cave was damp and heavy with dust and grime. Luffy though trying hard to appear strong was still in a weakened state. Though Chopper felt a bubble of pride at Luffy's strength he also felt an uncomfortable churn of concern as the doctor part of his brain listed all the complications that could arise from their journey inland for Luffy. If he had his way he would be in walking point with Luffy on his back but that would only squash Luffy's valiant attempt to reclaim his role as their captain and so with a heavy sigh he focussed on preparing a mental to-do list for when they returned to the ship. Luffy's bandages were definitely the top of the list as though protected by the robe draped around his skinny frame he didn't doubt the damp air would moisten them.

Chopper suddenly felt a calloused hand on his back and glanced down at Zoro's head. Zoro didn't say a word though offered the small doctor silent reassurance with a few firm pats to the back before he lowered his arm again the rest against the hilt of his katana. Chopper understood the message loud and clear. They had to have faith in Luffy now without question. Chopper honestly didn't know how Zoro kept his faith so strong in times like these, but he hopes he could draw strength from the man's own. Resolutely he steeled himself to brace the rest of night without fussing over his injured captain.

Before long the moonlight illuminated the small exit at the other end. Luffy resisted the urge to breathe a sigh of relief. Soon they would be in town and though the prospect of being surrounded by thugs and thieves didn't thrill him in his current state he couldn't deny that his body would be grateful to rest. Gingerly, Luffy crouched and crawled through the small cave exit. As he climbed to his feet again his legs shuddered with exhaustion and he quickly locating a cragged outcropping of stone to rest on before they gave out. Under the glow of the moonlight his skin glistened with sweat revealing just how much the short trek had taken from him. He watched tiredly as one by one his crew squeezed out from the cave. That was until it was Franky's turn. Try as he might the cyborg couldn't seem to force his bulky body through the small passage and as he attempted to reverse his way out feet first he only ended up wedging himself tight enough to get stuck as he blocked up the exit like a corked bottle.

Nami huffed as she watched Franky's leg's flail around like wild animated noodles in an attempt to free himself and was about the bark out an order for Sanji to kick the rock in when a rusty cackle interrupted her thoughts.

All heads twisted to the foreign laughter and body's tensed as more than two dozen men emerged from the trees between the town and cave. Under normal circumstances this sort of situation would be considered play for the straw hats but with Luffy to precariously defenceless all ideas of contest and games of who could beat down more of their enemies evaporated. Unconsciously the crew moved protectively in front of Luffy. It was an action unmissed by their foes.

"Well, well lads. What 'ave we 'ere?" the bandit drawled obnoxiously. "Never thought I'd see the like o' yours in these parts, Straw'ats."

"What's it to you?" Sanji spat back as he chewed the butt of an unlit cigarette and subtly tapped the tip of his shoes against the ground, preparing to fend off any sudden attacks. With the recent increase in their bounties he'd expected people to recognise them, but he hadn't anticipated that they would encounter anybody _before _they reached the town.

"You 'eads are up for a pretty penny don't'cha know!" the bandit drawled, stepping close enough for them to see the grimy yellow of his teeth as he grinned. "Pickin' up a bounty of any one of ya would fetch a good time, but..." he trailed off here, his eyes wandering to Luffy as his slimy grin stretched across his face. "The 'ead of your captain would set us all up pretty good."

Nami chanced a quick glance Luffy's way and resisted the urge to curse. It was obvious to any onlooker right now that Luffy wasn't right. His body trembled with fatigue and dark circles stood out painfully against the pallor of his skin. The sweat on his face was beginning to dry but if the pink tinge to his cheeks was anything to go by, his exertion might just have welcomed back the fever he'd been fighting on and off the past few weeks. He looked awful physically, but to Nami's surprise his face didn't show any of the terror she'd been expecting to see. If anything Luffy looked somewhat annoyed, his eyebrows creasing together as he panted softly, trying to regain composure.

"Straw'at Luffy, eh?" the bandit breathed, his voice rattling. You could almost see the beli in his eyes as he stared fixatedly at Luffy. "Heh, 'e don't look so tough now."

Zoro side-stepped into the line of sight between the bandit and Luffy, effectively blocking his captain from sight. Fury blazed in the swordsman's eyes at the blatant threat this fool was making. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his katana and his eyes narrowed in a silent threat.

"O-Oi!" Usopp called suddenly. "We're surrounded!"

Luffy looked around wearily as more shadows seemed to melt from the trees another dozen at least. A cold wind rushed through the air, rustling the trees and chilling his sweaty body.

"Get 'em, boys!"

That was the only warning Luffy had before his eyes widened as a hulk of a man charged from the trees behind him with a warbling battle cry, spiked club held high above him before he thrust it forward with all his might towards Luffy's head.

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**C...Cliffhanger? Teehee... did I do that?**


	7. No Mercy

**Thank you everybody for all of your wonderful comments and reviews. You really inspired me not to leave you hanging with that cliffhanger so here is a very exciting chapter 7! I'm actually very proud of how this chapter turned out! I hope it was worth the wait! Don't expect the next chapter along so quick though – I'm a little bit burnt out after putting my all into this chapter. The next one is half written however so I'll try not to make you wait too long.**

**A big thank you to my beta DeathGod777 for the help in spotting errors.**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 7: No Mercy**

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"_Get 'em, boys!"_

That was the only warning Luffy had before his eyes widened as a hulk of a man charged from the trees behind him with a warbling battle cry, spiked club held high before he thrust it forward with all his might towards Luffy's head.

Chopper didn't register that his body had moved until he felt the acrid liquid inside the rumble ball slipping down his throat and Luffy's attacker tangled in his oversized horns. For once he harboured no hesitation or restraint in his attack as he thrashed the screaming man around in his horns, piercing his body more than once before he jerked his head hard enough to send the oaf hurtling back into the trees from where he came.

For a moment the scene appeared frozen, both the Strawhats and their attackers awed at Chopper's transformation. For the bandits it was merely a surprise that the little reindeer was more than a cute pet for the oddball pirate troupe that was the Strawhats, but for the crew it was a whole other level of awe. They had seen Chopper fight countless times before, but never with such ferocity. Right now he looked every part as dangerous as his Monster form condensed into the smaller version that was 'horn point'. Chopper seemed consumed by instinct and emotion as though he had cast aside the logical thought that usually ruled his mind. He snorted loudly, large body hunched protectively before his captain and beat the ground with his hand and jerked his head once more in a silent warning as blood dribbled from his horns. Usopp couldn't be sure, but he could have sworn he heard his usually placid friend growl. In that moment the reindeer looked every part the wild animal he was before he ever ate the devil fruit.

As fast as it had come the moment was over as the slimy bandit that had spoken before roared furiously at his men. "Get 'em I said, you snivellin' bastards! Get 'im!" he spat and jerked he arm, finger outstretched in Luffy's direction.

The entire scene erupted then; blades clashed with deafening screeches, bodies thumped to the ground and flew through the air, slamming into the trees they'd emerged from. Robin stood a little ways to Luffy's left, close enough to hear her mutter her attacks followed by the brunching of bones and agonised screams of her victims. Luffy watched on as though caught in a daze. His body remained still, an odd sense of calm settled deep into his bones. Chopper wrestled in front of him with a huge burly bandit twice Franky's size.

At the thought of his shipwright Luffy glanced to his right where Franky's legs and backside flailed uselessly, still corked in the cave's exit. He almost felt a bubble of laughter rise in his stomach but he found himself attentive to the fight before him once again as Chopper was forced back, allowing Luffy to see the entire fight playing out before him. His eyes drifted over the mass of moving bodies and though he couldn't see Usopp, he could definitely make out the shrill cry of his attacks and the familiar 'twang' of each shot as it was fired.

A high pitched scream drew his attention entirely and his muscles clenched in response, his body aching to track down its owner; Nami. His eyes found her first, the vibrant shade of her hair stood stark against the earthy colours that surrounded her. A flash of panic surged through Luffy's body that sent his heart racing. Nami was pinned to the ground under the weight of one of the bandits as he sneered and muttered something Luffy couldn't make out into her ear, one hand grabbing roughly at her chest. Then Nami looked scared.

The next thing Luffy realised, his fist held that familiar tingle of having met with something hard and he stood over Nami, one leg on either side of her body and arm outstretched in the remnants of a punch. He didn't have time to contemplate just how he had got there as a bandit moved to jump him from behind. His first instinct was to dodge, but a startled cry of his name from below reminded him that she would most likely end up taking some brunt of that attack if he did. Instead he stood his ground and slipped into a familiar fighting stance, knees bent and prepared to take the impact. A fist connected with his face and Luffy felt his body bend backwards in response. He didn't fight the motion as his back arched, though grunted softly as he felt a couple of stitches in his chest bust. The attack was nothing to his rubber body as it absorbed the impact, though his burns protested the motion of his body. In half a second it was over as his body rebound the motion and his forehead collided with his attacker's nose as he bounced back upright like a rubber band. The man yelled, and staggered back, clutching his face as blood seeped between his fingers.

The fighting around them fizzled out slowly as the rest of the bandits were taken care of and Luffy felt the adrenaline that pumped into his body slowly leaking away. He staggered back as his legs finally gave way and landed on his rear with a thump beside Nami. The navigator was quick to move as she scrambled to her knees in front of Luffy and cupped his face in her hands. The fighting was finished now, Luffy realised as the crew gathered around him fretfully. Nami was saying something but he could only hear the blood rushing in his ears and the pounding of his heartbeat. His body screamed in protest now, his arms quivering behind him as they held him upright in a sitting position. He looked up at the concerned faces of his crew that surrounded him and then back to Nami. The roar of blood in his ears dulled as his ragged breathing slowed to a pant and he could finally make out her words. She was asking him if he was alright; she was crying, he realised. Numbly, he nodded and the whole crew seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

A loud crashing to his side made Luffy flinch suddenly but he quickly relaxed as he saw Franky emerge from the crumbled cave entrance as Sanji followed behind him muttering profanities about the cyborg's fat ass.

"Look at you... you're a mess!" Nami muttered softly, and in rare moment of gentleness, she used the wrist of her sleeve to wipe away some blood scattered about Luffy's forehead when he'd head-butted his attacker.

A small slither of panic settled in Luffy's stomach at the touch, but a glance around at his tousled crew calmed the feeling. It was an odd sensation; for weeks now his crew had been nothing but a source of terror, but as his eyes settled on wet blood that stained Chopper's antlers he felt calm wash over him. They had protected him. He sat placidly as Nami wiped away the bandit's blood and then stepped back. Luffy looked up at the smiling, relieved faces of his crew but tilted his head in a confused manner as their faces suddenly fell, they're eyes widening. A muddy arm suddenly closed around his throat and he winced as he was hoisted to his feet and then off the ground, held in a choking grip around his neck by none other than the slimy bandit that had started the whole fight.

"Where the hell did he come from?!" Usopp squawked, panic evident in his voice as he noticed the blade clutched in the man's hand and held all too close to Luffy's neck.

"He's a devil fruit user..." Robin answered as she figured it out herself. "Some kind of earth variation...?" she mused, though the tension in her body gave away the concern lacking in her tone.

"That's right little lady!" the bandit grouched. "Your crew 'ere did a number on me men so I think I'll cash in yer captain's 'ead and fix me up some new ones."

Nobody dared to move as the blade bit into Luffy's neck causing a fine trickle of blood to roll down his neck. Blood was slowly staining Luffy's shirt through his bandages from the busted stitches in his chest and Chopper watched anxiously as they all waited for a chance to do something. Luffy was the one to give them that chance as he slammed his head back into the bandits face. In his shock, the man dropped his devil fruit ability, obviously not skilled with his control over it and at the sight of solid flesh before his eyes, Luffy clamped his teeth down on the man's arm hard enough to draw blood. The bandit erupted with a loud scream as Luffy's teeth crunched down hard enough that he felt the bones begin to give way. He didn't have a chance to worry about it though as Zoro swept forward and with one graceful motion his blade plunged into the man's torso. There was a moment of pause as the bandit seemed to comprehend his fate before Zoro pulled upward mercilessly, effectively slicing the man's torso in half as his blade exited through his shoulder. There would be no mercy for the likes of any man that truly threatened their captain, especially in his current state.

Luffy's legs buckled without the support and Zoro lunged forward, capturing him in his free arm. Luffy emitted a loud hiss of pain as his chest wound was jostled once again. Slowly Zoro lowered him to the ground and Luffy eased himself to lie on the floor. Chopper pushed past the rest of the crew as they hovered close enough to see how Luffy was, but far enough to give him space to breathe and not feel trapped. Zoro remained knelt dutifully beside his head, watching over Luffy as he'd always done.

"Well, that could have gone better." Sanji remarked, glaring at the body of the bandit. He looked back to Chopper and sighed. "What's the damage?"

"He's busted a couple stitches in his chest." Chopper mumbled back as he sought out the suture kit from his bag. This kind of injury couldn't wait. "Other than that there's a nick on his neck from the knife and he aggravated some of the burns."

Chopper heard a collective sigh of relief behind him as he pulled a needle from his bag. He was amazed that Luffy had remained so calm throughout the ordeal – he had even fought! It brought a soft smile to his face. To his surprise however, as he moved to inject Luffy with a pain killer/numbing agent so that he could repair the damage to his sutures with minimal pain, his captain flinched away, watching him warily.

"I... It's a pain killer, Luffy," he tried to explain. "I have to fix those sutures..."

Luffy glanced briefly at the needle and back to Chopper before he shook his head firmly. Choppers eyes widened. Luffy couldn't deny this kind of treatment – the wound could get infected – his heart could-!

"He wants you to do it without the medicine." Zoro spoke up, suddenly. He had seen the look Luffy had given Chopper, but more importantly he had seen the look directed at that needle.

"Eh...?" Chopper noised, broken from his panicked thoughts. He looked from Zoro to Luffy in confusion. "But, the pain... Luffy, it'll be painful..."

Luffy nodded; he understood that. Chopper's stomach clenched uncomfortably. It wasn't like he hadn't sewn up his crewmembers without pain relief before. Emergencies on the battlefield called for immediate action. He hadn't done it before under a safe situation though, and he didn't want to cause Luffy any more pain than necessary.

"Are you sure?" Zoro asked quietly.

Luffy nodded resolutely and fixed his gaze on the moon above as Chopper reluctantly set to work. His fingers bit into the grass and earth beneath him as the needle pierced his skin, but much to the crew's awe he didn't seem bothered by their closeness or too distressed by the obvious pain. Zoro hadn't once taken his eyes from Luffy's face and as Chopper started to finish up his work, he spoke.

"Do you think you can walk?" he asked.

Luffy shook his head. There wasn't a chance in hell he could walk; not yet anyway.

"You shouldn't try to move just yet anyway Luffy." Chopper added as he began packing his tools away. He paused briefly and scrutinised Luffy's face. "You look tired..."

It was the understatement of the century. His body was a mess and even that small exertion topped with their earlier trek just to get here, Luffy was exhausted. With each blink it took more effort to drag his lids back open. He didn't look like he had the strength to raise his head let alone resume their journey into town.

"So... what now?" Nami voiced the question they'd all mulled over. "Do we head back? We can't go on with Luffy like this... it would draw too much attention and he's been injured."

"What do you want to do, Luffy?" Robin asked, gently as she too crouched beside Luffy.

He glanced at her and his eyebrows furrowed in thought. What did he want to do? He wanted to sleep.

"Should we turn back?" she elaborated, seeing her captain's obvious confusion. It seemed his exhaustion was affecting him more by the minute.

Luffy pondered the question. He hadn't wanted to do this in the first place - he didn't want to have to do it again! Sluggishly he tipped his head from side to side; no.

"Maybe..." Usopp interjected, then more self consciously as all eyes turned on him. "Uh, maybe... maybe if he got a couple hours rest he might feel... better?"

All eyes turned back to Luffy. His eyes which had been on Usopp drifted back to the moon above as his brow furrowed in thought. He _did _want to sleep.

"If we could make it just a little closer to the town we might be able to work out a plan so that we can get something productive out of tonight other than ridding the world of scum like these idiots." Sanji mused as his gestured at the bodies around them with one hand. Only the boss had been killed to his knowledge but he doubted the rest would be up and mobile any time soon.

"I could move him!" Chopper offered enthusiastically. He'd loathed watching Luffy struggle in their earlier trek and had wished he could have made the same offer then.

"I don't think he can sit up right now." Zoro replied, "And I doubt he would be comfortable being carried by walking point."

Chopper deflated, though he understood Zoro was right.

"If you want, I can carry you on my back, Luffy." Zoro offered. It was a bold statement. Touch was only a recently granted privilege between captain and crew and with Luffy on his back most of their bodies would be touching.

Luffy considered the offer. A soft breeze drifted through the trees, rustling them and Luffy couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through his body. Even with his clothes replaced after the hasty surgery and the robe around him he was still cold. The prospect of cuddling up to a warm back and having a nap there had never seemed so appealing, and yet as he imagined the feeling an involuntary shiver crawled down his spine; this time nothing to do with the night air. The crew's voices were becoming muffled and Luffy knew the heavy feeling in his body well. He was going to pass out. Reluctantly he nodded his consent to the idea – after all, it wouldn't matter anyway if he wasn't awake to experience it, would it?

The crew seemed pleased by his decision, he wasn't sure whether it was because they might actually get done what they set out to do or because of his consent (another small step on the way to recovery). Shakily Luffy hoisted his body upright with a groan as Zoro moved to crouch in front of him. He couldn't help the tremble as he felt several of Robin's limbs bloom across his body so that his transition onto Zoro's back could go as smoothly and pain-free as possible. It didn't make it any easier for Luffy though as he sucked in a breath and held it until he felt the limbs dissipate as if they'd never been there. He released his breath in a heavy sigh against the back of Zoro's neck and dropped his head onto the man's shoulder. Holding his breath had done _nothing _good for the heavy feeling as darkness crept into the edge of his vision.

Oddly, Luffy didn't feel the panic he had been expecting. Though his heart thumped heavily against his chest he was torn between the comforting warmth Zoro's body gave off and the little voice in the back of his head that warned him not to leave himself vulnerable. He heard them mutter something but by now their voices sounded as though he were hearing them from underwater. Luffy unconsciously snuggled closer to the warm body that supported him and Zoro adjusted his hold to accommodate.

"Luffy?" Chopper called again when his earlier question of whether Luffy was okay went unanswered. Yet again there was no reply, but before Chopper could panic Zoro spoke up.

"He's asleep." Zoro replied on Luffy's behalf. He could tell by the deep and even breaths against his back. "He's exhausted. Let him rest."

"Un." Chopper noised, and nodded his head.

"It's probably a twenty minute slow walk downhill to reach the edge of the town." Sanji predicted as he looked out at the town in the distance. "We should keep it slow so we don't do more damage to his chest."

Nami nodded her head in agreement. They had already lost time due to the attack but Luffy's comfort and health came before gathering information on who could have done this to him.

"Do you suppose those bandits were waiting in ambush?" Brook asked softly as they began to move. "For us?"

"I doubt it." Robin replied. She had taken in many details of the scene when they had first been approached by the bandits. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air and most of the men seemed as though they had had a fair drink. "I expect they were camped there and thought they'd struck lucky when we came out, if the smell of smoke and rum were anything to go by."

"Unlucky, more like." Sanji muttered, before his eyes bulged into love hearts. "Ah~ Robin-chwan is so smart!"

Robin smiled at the compliment, glad for some normalcy in their routine. Things had been out of place for too long.

"I don't think twenty minutes will be long enough to let Luffy rest, so what's the plan when we get to town?" Nami asked.

"Though our initial plan was to stay together," Brook interjected softly, "Perhaps Nami-san accompanied by another could scout for information whilst the rest remain with Luffy-san?"

"I volunteer my services!" Sanji called out suddenly, his hand raised into the air as if to solidify the offer."

"I'll take Franky." Nami replied blandly, and Sanji's face fell, his body seeming to whither.

"B-But, Nami-san..." he pleaded desperately.

"He looks butch." She offered in explanation. "Nine out of ten of the scum on this island are cowards who wouldn't so much as look a guys way if he looks like that." She finished jerking her thumb in Franky's direction.

"If that didn't scare them off, the Speedo would." Usopp mumbled.

"Ehh? What was that, long-nose?!" Franky asked, a vein throbbing in annoyance. "Got a problem with the Speedo?"

"Only r-real men understand it!" Usopp defended quickly, his voice stuttering over the words as he concocted a swift lie to placate his crewmate.

"Hn. True." Franky replied, falling hook, line and sinker for the excuse.

"We'll find somewhere safe to stay with Luffy first." Zoro added, and then to clarify their plan he added, "Nami and Franky will scout for information and when they come back we'll wake Luffy and head out together. Depending on what they find is where we go after that."

The crew noised a chorus of confirmation noises as they continued their slow trek into town.

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**So there we have it! Chapter 7 with all new content and the action some of you have been crying out for! Please let me know what you think, what you would like to see or anything you liked and would like to see more of :)**


	8. A New Ally

**Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter. I'm glad the majority are now embracing the changes and enjoying the revamped story for what it is rather than complaining about the differences to the old one. My laptop is out of commission at the moment as the charger is kaput so please don't expect an update too fast!**

**Thank you to my beta Deathgod777!**

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**Dark Truth**

**Chapter 8: A New Ally**

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The back alley the Strawhats found themselves in wasn't the ideal place to let their captain rest, but they'd chosen it wisely. The entrance into town from the alley was blocked off with a couple of waste bins they mostly blocked them from view. What wasn't blocked by the bins was shrouded in shadow. At the other end of the alley was an open exit away from the town that brought them back to the mountain path that would lead them back to the beach where they'd docked.

Sanji sighed for the umpteenth time since they'd settled there. He was restless. Nami and Franky had been gone over two hours and the night was well in swing. Shouts, songs and brawls could be heard in every direction from the plentiful taverns that littered the streets of the island. He'd taken the chance of rest to grab a smoke and strayed a little ways from the group (more importantly Luffy) to enjoy the rare relief the nicotine brought.

Zoro stood like a sentry in the middle of the alley. He'd yet to release his gentle, but firm hold of his captain. He didn't want to risk jostling or waking Luffy until he had to. The kid needed as much sleep as he could get in his opinion. He didn't deny that the even breath against his clothed shoulder and the steady thump of Luffy's heart against his back was a comfort. They'd come within a hairs breadth of losing their captain so many times, yet this time was so much more frightening. He'd made a silent vow to never let Luffy down like this again and so he stood like a statue acting as his captain's makeshift bed. Luffy's arm draped loosely about his shoulders, one arm curled around his neck whilst the other hung limps in the crook of his elbow where he had Luffy's leg hooked.

"Oi, Marimo," Sanji called softly. "What if she's in trouble?"

"You don't have faith in her?" Zoro quipped back. He knew Sanji was itching to seek out their navigator but Nami was in fighting form. Luffy wasn't; he needed their protection more.

"They should've been back by now." Sanji pressed, louder this time.

"Not if they've found a lead." Robin interjected and smiled sweetly. "Please try to keep your voice down, Sanji-kun."

Sanji deflated, defeated, and slumped down the wall to sit on the floor.

"Would you like me to take him for a while, Zoro-san?" Brook asked after a moments silence. "You arms must be-"

"My arms are fine." Zoro interrupted, stoically. "I've got him for now, thanks."

Brook nodded in acceptance. Zoro was probably right. Transferring Luffy from one person to another would probably hurt him and could wake him. He doubted Luffy would be comfortable held in the embrace of a bony skeleton either, but he still felt obligated to ask, to make a contribution somehow to his new crew.

"He looks a little better." Chopper stated with a smile.

"Sleep is a good healer." Robin added as she too gazed fondly at their slumbering captain.

"I'm just glad to see him getting some rest at last." Sanji admitted. "At one point I was scared the lack of sleep would send him over the edge."

"Luffy's stronger than that." Usopp stated firmly. "He can come back from this, I know he can."

"Maybe..." Sanji relented. He hoped so too, but he wasn't about to let his hopes sly like Usopp was. He couldn't forget the past weeks so easily.

They solemn conversation was interrupted as the bins were suddenly jostled. Zoro backed up towards the other end of the alley, well aware he couldn't defend Luffy as he was and Chopper, Brook and Sanji moved in front of him whilst Robin and Usopp stayed behind. To their relief it was Nami that entered the alley once the bins were moved, followed briefly by Franky.

"Nami-swan!" Sanji cried, delighted at her return.

"Welcome back," Robin greeted as she stepped forward. "Did you gather any information?"

"Mm, some." Nami replied, "But i found something much better!" she added enthusiastically. To emphasise her point she stepped aside so that the rest of the crew could see the mouth of the alley where stood before them was Luffy's brother, Portgas D. Ace.

"Yo." He greeted with the easy smile most of them remembered. His smile quickly fell though as he spied his brother's unconscious form draped across Zoro's back. He approached slowly; though eager to check Luffy out for himself he'd been warned by Nami of the state he was in.

"Ace!" Usopp and Chopper chimed in unison, both delighted to see the man. If anybody could give Luffy the strength he'd need to get through this it would be Ace. Both Usopp and Chopper launched at Ace, capturing him in a hug.

"Ah! Thank goodness!" Usopp breathed as he clutched Ace's arm. "Someone we can really rely on! Someone that can protect us!"

"Eh?" Ace noised as he looked down at Usopp.

"Accce!" Chopper cried as he latched onto Ace's other side, firmly glued to the freckled man's head. "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Ah... thank you?" Ace replied hesitantly as he smiled sheepishly. Nami had been sparing on the details with just what had happened to his little brother, but she had warned him it was _bad_. Bad where Luffy was concerned could mean a lot of things though, so he'd refrained from letting that knot of worry climbs its way from his stomach to his throat. Now he wondered if maybe he should be more concerned.

"What are you doing here?" Zoro asked, curiously. Ace was the last person he'd expected to run into.

"Passing through." Ace replied easily. "Still on the trail of Teach. Anybody want to explain to me why my little brother can't greet me himself?" A dangerous undertone laced Ace's voice, an undercurrent of anger, not necessarily directed at the people around him but there all the same. Something was definitely wrong with Luffy and Ace wasn't happy about it.

"We can explain when we're back at the ship." Nami answered. "The less attention we gather the better it'll be for all of us."

Ace didn't like being kept in the dark but he could see sense in Nami's explanation. With Luffy's recent bounty increase he was an easy trade in for a lot of money.

"Alright, let's go then." Ace pressed as his eyes settled on Luffy again, that knot in his stomach growing heavier by the second.

"He's just sleeping." Chopper spoke up, sat on Ace's shoulders much like he would on Zoro's. "He hadn't been sleeping well and he's exhausted, so we didn't want to wake him."

Ace accepted the explanation with a nod and followed the crew as they set out once more for their ship.

Ace couldn't help but take note of the new faces in the crew that hadn't been there last time they'd met. He couldn't help but let his gaze linger on brook who walked beside him. Really, only Luffy could find a random walking skeleton and recruit it.

"Ah, you must be Ace." Brook mentioned in greeting.

"Uh, yeah..." Ace answered, his usually impeccable manners foregone in his surprise. In all honestly he hadn't expected the skeleton to speak. "And you are?"

"Brook. Luffy's musician." Brook replied. "And swordsman."

Brook felt oddly nervous about making a good first impression on his captain's older brother, so much so he couldn't help the small _'frrrp'_ that escaped his backside.

"Ah, excuse me." he stated, bluntly. "I farted."

Ace blinked back at brook comically, the corners of his lips twitching upward, though he smothered the bubbling laughter with a stern cough and instead grasped brook's hand in a handshake as it was offered.

"A pleasure." he finally answered, bemused by the ragtag group his brother has wrangled for his crew.

The walk back to the ship went much faster than their journey inland. With Luffy carried by Zoro they could move much faster and take the steeper, speedier route back. At the steepest point of the route the crew came upon a drunken duo chatting and laughing loudly amongst a scattering of rum bottles. Though they outnumbered the men (and more than likely outclassed them) their movements were still wary as they approached. None of the Strawhats offered a glance to the strangers as the duo fell quiet and watched them travel by.

It was Ace who noticed one of the men's eyes linger too long for his liking on the prone form of his little brother. He made sure to catch the man's eyes as he passed, his own glare offering the warning of a painful death. Ace was satisfied as the stranger flailed back, falling from the boulder he'd been sat on. The other thug swallowed nervously and only dared to move to help his friend when Ace and the Strawhats began their descent down the mountain that led to the beach. Ace snorted at their cowardice and turned his attention back to Luffy as he huffed out a soft sigh through his nose. He couldn't help but wonder just what the hell Luffy had gotten himself into to warrant such a cautious reaction from his crew.

It wasn't until they were approaching the beach where the Mini Merry was hidden that Luffy stirred slightly against Zoro's back. His whole body felt heavy and detached, almost as if it wasn't his own. Consciousness was elusive, yet something in him compelled him to fight for it. Something important had happened he was sure, yet as his eyes dragged open for half a second the effort seemed too much and they slipped closed again. Nobody seemed to notice. His second attempt was more successful and his eyebrows furrowed gently in confusion as he tried to register where he was and what was going on. He was warm and comfortable, despite the throbbing in his chest. That was when the penny dropped.

Luffy jerked backwards, eyes wide with a strangled yelp and almost fell from Zoro's grip entirely in his panic. His arm's palms back forcefully against the back of Zoro's shoulders as if trying to push the two of them apart, though with his legs still in his swordsman's grip it only resulted in him overbalancing as he began to fall backwards.

"At-at-at-at!" Zoro noised senselessly in panic as he desperately leaned forwards to compensate for Luffy's sudden movement to stop his captain from toppling to the ground. Having dealt with Luffy's panic and fear for the past weeks, Zoro's movement was fluid and swift as continued his descent, knees bending until he'd crouched low enough for Luffy's feet to touch the ground. He released his hold on the boy's legs and Luffy stumbled backwards on wobbly legs away from him. Zoro stood silently, undeterred by his captain's sudden aversion to being close to him once again. It was plain as day that his earlier consent had been heavily influenced by his exhaustion. Their top priority now was to keep Luffy calm until they could get back to the safety of their ship.

"You alright there, bro?" Franky asked, his voice unusually gentle as he asked the question everybody wanted to.

Luffy panted, obviously unsteady on his feet as he struggled to wake his exhausted body up. Tension escalated as Luffy looked wildly from one crew member for another, fear and uncertainty lingering in his eyes.

"Give him some space." Sanji suggested, sure to keep his voice soft as he backed up a little so as not to startle Luffy any further. "Give him a chance to get his head straight."

The crew backed away obediently, eager to try anything that might calm Luffy down. Ace watched, perplexed from his position at the back of the group. As of yet he was out of Luffy's line of sight, stood behind him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Luffy's body closely. The tension and stiffness in his movements gave away the obvious pain he felt but the hunched, almost submissive curve in Luffy's spine as he backed away from his crew made Ace's breath catch in his throat. Luffy was afraid; Luffy was _very _afraid right now – of his own crew! Just what the hell had happened!?

"Luffy..." Ace called softly, desperately. The name had rolled from his tongue and escaped his lips before he'd had a chance to stop it.

Luffy flinched visibly; his head turned slowly, shadowed eyes peeking out from under the heavy robes. He blinked once, clenching his eyes shut tightly before opening them. Did he think he was seeing things, Ace wondered? Luffy turned fully them, the fear dulled by shock as he reached out uncertainly as if to check Ace truly were there. Think, rubbery fingers had barely brushed his wrist before Ace grunted as he was nearly tackled at the force of Luffy's hug. Luffy held onto Ace tightly, fingers digging into his brother's skin desperately, entirely content with his brother's touch. His entire body seemed to relax as Ace lifted a hand to smooth down his sleep mussed hair and give his head a pat.

The Strawhats looked on in silent confusion. They had expected Ace to be a source of strength for Luffy, but the sheer lack of negative reaction on Luffy's part had them all stunned.

"Silly little brother," Ace chided softly as he curled an arm around Luffy in a half hug. The ferocity of Luffy's emotion churned that concrete wad of worry settled in his stomach. Ace tried to make light of Luffy's actions as he caught sight of the stunned Strawhats. "Making us all worry again?"

Luffy didn't say anything in reply, though kept his face buried in Ace's chest.

"He... hasn't said anything." Zoro said, carefully. Something in the bottom of his heart clenched at what had just happened. It wasn't jealousy, no... more of an instinct. Something wasn't right about this whole situation.

"What?" Ace asked. He had yet to be filled in on any details from Nami and his sleepy eyes widened at Zoro's words. "In how long?"

"Ah, shit... how long now?" Sanji mumbled. The days seemed to melt together as they'd cared for Luffy on the ship. "Two weeks? More?"

Ace's head snapped back to Luffy with a concerned frown. Before he had a chance to question his brother, a voice interrupted.

"We can continue this on the ship." Zoro stated, his face stony leaving no room for argument. "Chopper needs to sort out some pain relief for Luffy soon anyhow."

Ace nodded and watched as the crew exhumed the small boat from its hiding place. Carefully he untangled himself from Luffy's hold, surprised at Luffy's lack of resistance. Ace canted his head softly in confusion which only deepened when Luffy's eyes met his, filled with guilt. Luffy wasn't the type of man to dwell on things such as guilt. He took action against such feelings so Ace wondered for the hundredth time since he'd met Nami that night just what the hell happened to his baby brother.

It took a few trips on the Mini merry to return the crew to their ship. Luffy was accompanied by Ace, Zoro and Sanji in the first trip. Luffy sat close to Ace, his body feeding off of the unnatural warmth Ace's body offered due to his devil fruit ability. Zoro glanced back at Luffy in masked concern. His young captain still seemed disoriented from his earlier panic though he was grateful it hadn't deteriorated into Luffy's recent episodes of delirium. Ace seemed to be having a hard enough time taking in the change in his little brother at it was.

Chopper arrived in the second trip and promptly ushered Luffy and Ace away to the infirmary to change his bandages and better tend the wound from earlier. Sanji made his way to the galley to prepare the nights meal and as the remainder of the crew. As the rest of the crew arrived they joined their nakama in the galley. Brook and Chopper helped with setting the table and prepping the food as they fell into a quiet chatter. An gentle air of excitement buzzed around them as they regaled with tales from Arabasta where they had first met Ace for their newer crew's benefit.

Zoro sat away from the group, shoulders hunched forward as his arms crossed atop the table and face set in a stony frown. Robin was the first to notice Zoro's self seclusion and moved to sit opposite him, curious as to what was bothering the swordsman. He glanced up briefly as she took her seat and she returned it with a disarming smile. The effect was lost on Zoro as his frown deepened and he returned to staring at the tabletop.

"Is something wrong, Zoro?" Robin ventured.

"It's nothing." Zoro snapped back.

"Don't talk to Robin-chan that way, idiot." Sanji chastised automatically, though his tone was distracted and lacking its usual bite as he lost himself in the creation of his next delicacy. He nodded in approval as he tested a sample and then seemed to realise what he'd just said and glanced back at the pair when Zoro didn't offer up any retaliation.

"What's bothering you?" Robin pressed, not willing to let it go. It was rare for anything to get under Zoro's skin so whatever it was had to be serious.

Zoro heaved a sigh through his nose and twisted his lips in annoyance at Robin's persistence. By now the rest of the crew in the galley had also noticed the tense interaction and the conversation had stilled.

"Don't you think it's strange?" Zoro asked as he sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "How Luffy acted."

"How Luffy acted _when_?" Robin asked, careful to keep her tone neutral. She too had noticed a couple of curious things in Luffy's behaviour, but the last thing their crew needed now was more concern and so she had kept her suspicions to herself. If Zoro wanted to confront the issue though, she was more than willing.

"You know when." Zoro replied as irritation crept into his voice. Robin was the smartest in their crew and he had no doubt if he'd seen it, she had too. "With the bandits and... Ace."

"Right!" Usopp jumped in, grinning from ear to ear. "He was amazing! I mean, I didn't think he could still _do _that with how he's been and it must've been hard with his body like it is!"

"I'm not talking about that." Zoro said gruffly and Usopp fell silent his enthusiasm squashed. "I'm talking about the fear."

"Or lack thereof." Robin offered and nodded slowly. It seemed Zoro _had _noticed.

"Sure he was afraid..." Usopp reasoned, "I mean when those bandits came out-"

"He watched..." Sanji muttered as it dawned on him what his crewmates were suggesting. Mutely he moved to sit beside Robin, sliding the coffee he'd prepared her way. "He didn't have a panic attack or run... he didn't even seem bothered."

"He's exhausted!" Usopp defended. "We probably just couldn't tell because he was so tired!"

"No... we've seen the fear in him enough times in the last weeks to know what it looks like." Zoro said as he tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling. "And then later when he woke up he _was _afraid."

"Until he saw Ace." Nami spoke up. "But what's the problem – you saw how he reacted to Ace! He didn't even flinch and actually initiated contact with him – he even looked _comfortable _with it!"

"Exactly!" Zoro snapped, eyes narrowing. "He wasn't afraid of the bandits and he wasn't afraid of Ace. He was just fine with friend and foe alike."

"Your point?" Nami asked, annoyed at Zoro's ramblings.

"He was afraid of _us._" Sanji said quietly, the meal forgotten. "Shit..."

The information washed over the crew with a silent violence. Nami was the first to recover as she spluttered out excuses for the revelation that had just been uncovered.

"Well that's normal, right?" she asked no one in particular. "Luffy's been through so much and we were the first ones there when he woke up and we've been around him this whole time while he recovered with all those bad memories. It's like we're all stained with the bad emotions..."

"I suppose that could be true..." Robin mused as she drummed her fingers against her coffee cup. "The trip inland did seem to do him good."

"Maybe Luffy-san's trust is still too frail with us." Brook suggested quietly. "He sees it as his role to protect us, his nakama, yet we allowed him to be harmed so violently and we've yet to discover who did it."

"Or how." Franky added. "With Nico Robin on watch nothing should have been able to get near the ship."

Robin gave a slight nod. She too had been troubled by that fact. That night it had been her responsibility to protect the crew and keep watch and though she knew hadn't slept or moved from her vigilant watch, she couldn't help but feel responsible for what had happened. Nothing made sense. From the severity of Luffy's wounds Chopper had explained that they would have had to have heard him screaming and yet she had heard no such thing and the crew had slept on peacefully.

"We're no closer to fixing this." Nami admitted, frustration painting her voice.

"Maybe we should just leave..." Usopp suggested quietly, timidly. "I-I mean if we used the paddling wheels and a cola burst we could fly right by those waters, right? Whatever _is _there wouldn't have a chance of catching us again!"

Usopp looked around hopefully. Truthfully he was terrified of whatever horrors had inflicted such damage on his captain. Luffy was his best friend and idol in so many ways and to see him stripped bare of his confidence and power in one night without explanation or reason had stunned his heart.

"It's an option," Franky finally answered, "But we'd need to see what Luffy thinks."

"The next island is 4 days travel with good winds." Nami stated quietly. "Even using all our cola supplies it would still be a day's journey over those waters. We don't even know if whatever did this is still there."

"We still don't know anything." Zoro muttered gruffly and the galley fell into a solemn, thoughtful silence. Even if Luffy did choose to go on, just what was their next move?

Ace sucked in a breath at the sight of his brother's body as Chopper removed the heavy robe carefully from his shoulders. The fading burns and cuts that littered the flesh he could see made his blood boil for revenge, but his sleepy expression gave away none of his darker thoughts. Ace listened silently as Chopper listed off the numerous injuries Luffy had sustained in the attack and swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat as Luffy eased out of his shirt to reveal the large scar that peeked from behind the bandages wrapped around his chest. Nami had told him it was _bad _but he hadn't expected _this _bad.

"When was the last time he ate?" Ace asked as his dark eyes drifted over Luffy's sunken abdomen. "Are you hungry, Luffy?"

Luffy eased his body onto the cot and shook his head wearily. He wasn't hungry. He felt sick.

"He's eaten a little better the last couple days." Chopper explained as he set to work on cleaning Luffy's wounds. In his healing frame of mind he ignored Luffy's slight flinches and the way he recoiled from probing touches. "Before that he couldn't keep anything down and for a while he was catatonic."

Ace looked to Luffy in shock. He couldn't imagine his happy, optimistic, energetic Luffy in such a state. As he looked at him now though it seemed all too real. Luffy's eyes stayed glued to the floor and Ace couldn't help but feel he looked _ashamed _of all things. Ace reached out, unable to hold back any longer and rested his hand on Luffy's head. He had planned to offer his brother words of reassurance, maybe words of comfort, but as he felt Luffy's hair under his fingers another thought occurred to him.

"Where's your hat?" he asked, bewildered. He'd seldom seen Luffy without his trademark headwear. It was then he spotted the string around Luffy's neck and glanced around to his back where his hat rested against his shoulder blades.

"We thought it would attract too much attention." Chopper explained. "But he didn't want to leave it behind."

"Of course you didn't." Ace said, a soft grin touching his lips. It was good to hear something _normal _about Luffy's behaviour.

Chopper worked diligently on rewrapping Luffy's torso in bandages as he finished cleaning the large wound there. He felt eye on him and looked up to see Luffy staring straight at him.

"I-Is something wrong, Luffy?" he asked timidly.

Luffy's eyes seemed fixed on something above Chopper's head. The small reindeer looked back but saw nothing and turned back to Luffy, confused. Wordlessly Luffy reached up, fingers gently brushing one of Choppers antlers before he withdrew again. Chopper noticed the flaky crimson that had dusted on Luffy's fingers and his eyes widened.

"Got a little blood on you there." Ace said as he watched the interaction curiously.

"It... was from a bandit." Chopper replied, blushing under his fur as he recalled his wild retaliation against the man that had attacked Luffy. "He attacked Luffy."

"Blood is at home on a doctors hands, but I don't think my brother likes the look of it there." Ace said.

"R-Right..." Chopper mumbled, but before he had a chance to escape to wash the offending crimson away, Luffy had grabbed the wet flannel Chopper had used on his wound and reached out, cleaning it off himself. Chopper didn't dare move, conflicting emotions of shame and pride warring in his heart at his actions earlier. He knew he had lost control for a moment but it had been to protect his captain and he didn't regret it. Luffy's hand withdrew again, the cloth stained with old blood.

"I think maybe this is the only way he can tell you he's proud of you." Ace explained as he looked from Chopper to Luffy and back again. "Right?"

Luffy nodded mutely, a serious look on his face. Chopper swallowed thickly as tears spilled from his eyes and he too nodded his understanding. He could see the guilt and regret shining in Luffy's shadowed eyes. Luffy was telling him he was proud of what he had done, but Chopper knew Luffy was also feeling that the reindeer shouldn't have been placed in that position in the first place. Much like Ace had done to him moments before, Luffy rested his hand atop Chopper's hat.

"How about we go join the others?" Ace asked, reluctant to break up the moment between the two but eager to get some answers.

Chopper nodded and Luffy moved to comply silently. The small doctor helped him to redress in a clean, loose vest before they headed out of the infirmary and towards the galley.

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**So, there you have it! Chapter 8 done and dusted. What do you think? Too fast? Too slow? Want to see anything happen?**


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